NEW DELHI
In the aftermath of multiple incidents of fires at malkhanas in the Capital, the special commissioner of police directed all deputy commissioners to speed up disposal of case properties in their police stations—by identifying documents not physically required at the trial stage.
In the order dated April 7, the special commissioner cited notification of “Delhi BNSS (Identification of case property) Rules, 2025” on February 28” which stipulates that the physical production of a case property shall not be insisted upon during trial.
An officer, on condition of anonymity, said that malkhanas in police stations are filled especially with liquor bottles and the space outside the police stations is taken up by vehicles. “The latest notification on the Delhi BNSS rules on case property specify how they can be photographed and videographed to create an identification statement by the courts. After the statement is created in the form of a file, the investigators can approach court to grant permission for disposal of the property. Subsequently, it may be disposed of to decongest malkhanas in the city,” the officer said.
According to data shared by Delhi Police in the Supreme Court in 2018, there were over 53,000 vehicles and over 800,000 litres of alcohol in the Capital’s malkhanas. Last week, two incidents of fire were reported at two malkhanas: one at the police training centre in Wazirabad, where nearly 350 vehicles were gutted, and the other in a vehicle pit in Nehru Place, where nearly 400 vehicles were gutted.
In the order, the officer said that the investigating officers will produce seizure memo containing description of the case property in court and within 14 days, prepare an identification statement of such property with its description. “The competent court may order for samples of the case property as well as photocopies, photographs or videography of the same, where applicable,” the order read.
The special commissioner asked all deputy commissioners to ensure proper implementation of the rules and direct all the station house officers and investigating officers to take “swift action for disposal of all the Muds (old and new) by submitting application along with seizure memo of all such case properties” before the court.
The order was shared along with a per forma in which the DCPs were asked to submit a weekly report on the disposal of properties.
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