'Rats Ate Bribe Money' : Supreme Court Expresses Surprise, Says Huge Revenue Loss For State

A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice K V Viswanathan observed –

“We are taken by surprise that the currency notes got destroyed by rodents. We wonder how many such currency notes recovered in this type of offences get destroyed as they are not kept at a safe place. Its a huge revenue loss for the State.  Besides, the explanation offered for the destruction of the currency notes also does not inspire any confidence.”

The Court was dealing with a plea filed by one Aruna Kumari against a judgment of the Patna High Court convicting her under Sections 7 and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The petitioner was working as a Child Development Programme Officer at the relevant time. She was tried for offences under Sections 7 and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for allegedly demanding a bribe of ₹10,000. The trial court acquitted her of all charges. The High Court reversed the trial court's decision and held her guilty.

The High Court sentenced her to four years of rigorous imprisonment for the offence under Section 13(2) and three years of rigorous imprisonment for the offence under Section 7.

The Supreme Court ordered that the substantive sentence imposed by the High Court would remain suspended and directed that the petitioner be released on bail on terms and conditions to be fixed by the trial court.

During the hearing, the Court also took note of observations made by the High Court in paragraph 53 of its judgment. The High Court had recorded that although the prosecution could not produce the currency notes allegedly recovered from the accused because the envelope containing them was destroyed by rats and rodents, the Malkhana register had been produced and proved. The register recorded receipt of an envelope containing bribe money in connection with the case.

The High Court had held that destruction of the seized money due to improper storage conditions would not by itself disprove the prosecution case, and an accused could still be convicted based on other surrounding circumstances pointing to guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Reacting to this, the Supreme Court was surprised that the currency notes had been destroyed by rodents. The Court said it wondered how many such currency notes recovered in similar offences get destroyed due to lack of safe storage, adding that it would amount to a huge revenue loss for the State.

The Court also observed that the explanation offered for the destruction of the currency notes did not inspire confidence. It indicated that the issue would be examined at the time of final hearing of the matter.

Case no. – Petition for Special Leave to Appeal (Crl.) No.7601/2025

Case Title – Aruna Kumari v. Economic Offences Unit