Rajasthan police on Wednesday informed a lower court that a monkey fled with the evidence collected by them in the murder case that was being tried.
The items stolen from the police custody included a knife which was the murder weapon, reports Times of India.
The police are investigating the death of Shashikant Sharma at a primary health centre in Chandwaji area of Rajasthan capital Jaipur in September 2016. He was missing for three days before his body was found.
According to the Times of India, the Sharma’s family alleged that he was murdered and even blocked the Delhi-Jaipur highway after the recovery of the body.
After the protest, the police arrested two people, who were later produced before the additional district judge's court.
The bag containing all the evidence, including the murder weapon, was kept under a tree at the police station because the auditory had no space, the Times of India report further added.
The trial passed several stages over the years, and when the court recently asked the police to present the evidence, they said it has been stolen by a monkey.
The bag had 15 other important pieces of evidence connected to the case, which also went missing.
The police gave a written statement in the lower court informing the bench that the evidence possessed by them has been stolen.
The court then issued a notice to the police, after which the department blamed a “careless” constable, the Times of India report said. The police also said that the constable was suspended following the incident, and he later retired and died, the report added.
