Sacks of seized tobacco stolen from Wayanad police station; theft found 2.5 months later

Wayanad, Kerala: Seven sacks of tobacco products kept in police custody have reportedly been stolen from the Sultan Bathery police station in Wayanad. The seized goods were stored in a locked room in a building within the station premises.

On June 7, police seized 12,000 packets of Hans and 1,800 packets of Cool Lip stored in seven sacks at a house where Pallikkandi native Ishaq was staying at Dottappankulam. Police also seized another sack of tobacco products from a car outside the house.

The seized items were produced before the Sulthan Bathery Judicial First Class Magistrate Court-I, which later handed them back to the police for safekeeping. The seven sacks were kept under police custody from June 26.

According to the FIR, the key to the locked room was usually kept in a drawer of the Assistant Station Writer’s desk. The thief or thieves allegedly took the key, opened the room and entered it before stealing the sacks.

The theft came to light only on Thursday at around 4 pm, when the room was opened for cleaning, and the seized goods were checked. Following this, the SHO (Station House Officer) and other police personnel searched the station, the rooms and the surrounding area, but the missing items could not be found.

A case has been registered based on a complaint filed by the SHO, and an investigation is under way.
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Suspected help from inside the police station

Questions have been raised over how such a large quantity of seized tobacco products could be removed from a police station that is guarded around the clock. There is suspicion that someone from within the police force may have helped the theft.

Investigators suspect that assistance may have been provided to obtain the key and open the locked room. The possibility of an outsider entering the station and removing the goods without inside assistance is considered less likely.

Seized tobacco products in cases registered under anti-tobacco laws are normally kept at the police station until they are destroyed as directed by the court. Seized property from several other cases would also be kept there, making the incident a serious security concern.
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The fact that the theft went unnoticed for nearly two and a half months has also raised concerns. Although CCTV cameras are installed in most parts of the police station, the area where the seized goods were stored is reportedly not covered.

Ishaq, the accused in the case related to the seizure, remains absconding. Police have intensified efforts to trace and arrest him.