Police stations across Madhya Pradesh are facing an unexpected financial strain, spending thousands of rupees every month on pen drives.
This is due to a new legal mandate under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) that requires all case-related evidence, including statements, crime scene recordings, and forensic data, to be submitted in digital format on a pen drive, instead of the previously used CDs or paper records.
While the aim of digitisation is to streamline legal proceedings and improve transparency, the shift has led to a financial burden for police personnel. The cost of purchasing these storage devices has often fallen on the shoulders of officers, many of whom find themselves paying from their own pockets.
With each 8GB pen drive costing around Rs 300, and investigations often requiring several devices, this new requirement has become a point of concern for officers across the state.
Sub-Inspector BS Kalpuria, stationed at Bhopal's Kotwali Police Station, has been dealing with the financial strain of this shift. Kalpuria, who has been with the force for years, says that each case requires at least three pen drives to store the necessary evidence. "You have to do it, sir!" he said, reflecting the inevitability of the situation.
Previously, under Section 65B(4) of the Indian Evidence Act, electronic evidence like CDs was used, but CDs have become increasingly hard to find. As a result, the police have had to switch to pen drives. The 2023 Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) introduced provisions for recording evidence via audio-visual means, including crime scene recordings.
Under Section 105 of the BNS, evidence collected during search and seizure operations must be recorded on devices such as pen drives to ensure transparency and accountability in investigations.
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Constable Pushpendra Prajapati explained the difficulty, saying that while CDs worked fine previously, pen drives have become a necessity, and officers are often forced to pay for them from their own salaries.
"Sometimes, we have to pay from our own salary," he said. Constable Joginder Singh also mentioned that each case typically requires at least three pen drives, costing between ₹500 and ₹600. "Right now, we're managing from our own pockets," he added.
Sub-Inspector Prem Narayan highlighted the administrative burden, saying that a minimum of two pen drives is needed for each case—one for court submission and another for police records.
If the defense lawyer demands a copy, a third pen drive is needed. "We buy them ourselves because evidence collection is our responsibility," Narayan explained.
Since the introduction of this rule on July 1, 2024, every police station in the state has been required to purchase its own pen drives. Each time a case is registered, the victim's and witnesses' statements are recorded on video and stored in a pen drive, which is then submitted to court along with other case documents.
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Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra acknowledged the resource shortages, stating that while efforts are being made to arrange resources, some police stations may initially face difficulties. "The process of procuring equipment is ongoing," Mishra said.
Legal experts have voiced concerns that the police should not bear this financial burden. Government advocate Rajendra Upadhyay stated, "The police are struggling because they lack a formal budget for pen drives. Yet, all evidence must now be submitted electronically."
Retired DGP SC Tripathi also commented on the situation, saying, "If pen drives were made mandatory, arrangements should have been in place. The government spends crores on welfare schemes like 'Ladli Behna,' yet police stations don't have funds for a Rs 300 pen drive!"
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A recent report by the Union Home Ministry revealed that between July 1 and September 3, 2024, a total of 5,56,000 FIRs were registered under the new penal code, averaging around 7,400 FIRs per day.
At this rate, police stations in Madhya Pradesh alone would need to spend around ₹25 lakh every month on pen drives.
While technology has the potential to make legal processes more efficient, the sudden implementation of this mandate has left law enforcement struggling with the unforeseen costs.
Until the government formally allocates a budget for this expense, officers will continue to bear the financial burden, one pen drive at a time.
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