In a major development, explosives and ammunition seized in a case registered against the erstwhile Islamic Sevak Sangh (ISS) founded by Abdul Nasir Maudany are found to have gone missing from the safe custody of a magistrate court in Kollam.
The lapse came to light after an Additional Sessions Court in Kochi asked the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court II in Kollam to transfer the material evidences in the case.
The police had seized a revolver, 1.5 kg of explosives, and suspected extremist literature including books and notice during a raid on a residence at Anvarsseri at Sasthamcotta on December 13, 1992 and kept in the safe custody of the Kollam court.
The materials, however, were found missing when the police, with the assistance of court officials there, conducted a search for these materials the other day.
“The official who looked after the evidence resigned from the job and went abroad,’’ officials said.
Of the 25 prosecution witnesses in the case, four are no more and four others have been confined to their beds. Further, several of the remaining witnesses have left the State several years ago while the four witnesses examined by the court turned hostile during their examination held earlier.
At present, the trial has been taking place in the case of seven persons.