Gold deposited as case property has gone missing in a case where gold vanished from a police station storeroom in district Shaheed Benazirabad, and four policemen have been arrested as the Sindh police chief ordered a full investigation.
The 52.5 tolas of gold disappeared from the malkhana of the A-Section police station, the secured room where police keep seized items held as evidence in criminal cases.
IG orders transparent probe
Taking notice of the incident, Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho sought a detailed report from the DIG Shaheed Benazirabad. He ordered a comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigation to trace the missing gold.
Shaheed Benazirabad SSP Dr Sameer Noor Channa said preliminary inquiries had found evidence of negligence and possible involvement by police personnel. A case was registered against four policemen, who were then arrested.
IG Odho directed the police to ensure the recovery of the missing gold and to start strict legal and departmental proceedings against anyone found responsible.
He warned that negligence in safeguarding case property and misuse of authority would not be tolerated. Action, he stressed, must be taken against all responsible personnel without discrimination.
Why gold vanishing from a police station storeroom points inward
A malkhana is not an ordinary storeroom. Case property — cash, jewellery, weapons, narcotics and other seized material — is meant to be entered in a dedicated register, sealed, and kept under the charge of a designated officer. Access is restricted, and senior officers are supposed to carry out periodic checks.
That is what makes this case striking. Outsiders do not walk into a police station’s evidence room unnoticed. When sealed case property vanishes from inside the building, investigators almost always start with the custody chain: who held the keys, who signed the register, and when the seals were last verified.
The arrests of four policemen within the early stage of the inquiry suggest the investigators are following exactly that logic.
Accountability in focus
The case lands at a time when police handling of seized property and evidence has been under growing scrutiny. Courts have repeatedly pulled up investigation officers over missing or mishandled case property, which can collapse prosecutions even in serious cases.
The episode also echoes other recent accountability actions within the force. The Lahore High Court recently upheld a probe against FIA officials over the illegal seizure of cash and vehicles, while five policemen were remanded in Kasur in an encounter case. Each case chips at public confidence in the institutions meant to enforce the law.
For the gold itself, the stakes are high. With gold prices running at record levels this year — see our gold price tracker — 52.5 tolas represents a substantial sum, and its recovery will be the first test of the investigation the IG has ordered.
What happens next
The DIG Shaheed Benazirabad has been asked to submit a detailed report to the IG. The arrested policemen face both criminal proceedings and departmental action.
Investigators will now have to answer the central questions: when exactly the gold went missing, who had access in that period, and whether the malkhana’s registers and seals were maintained or manipulated. The answers will determine whether this was sustained negligence, an inside job, or both.
FAQs
How much gold went missing?
52.5 tolas of gold, held as case property in criminal cases, disappeared from the A-Section police station’s malkhana in Shaheed Benazirabad.
Who has been arrested?
Four policemen, after preliminary investigations found evidence of negligence and possible involvement. A case has been registered against them.
What has the IG Sindh ordered?
IG Javed Alam Odho sought a detailed report from the DIG Shaheed Benazirabad and ordered a comprehensive, transparent and impartial investigation, plus strict legal and departmental action against those responsible.
What is a malkhana?
The secured storeroom in a police station where case property — seized items held as evidence — is kept under register, seal and restricted access.
Why does this matter beyond the theft?
Missing case property can destroy prosecutions, and the case raises fresh questions about custody procedures and accountability inside the police force.
