Supreme Court’s Unprecedented Move On Discovery of Cash At Justice Yashwant Varma’s Official Residence
The Supreme Court has made public the reports, videos, and photos related to the alleged discovery of cash which is unaccounted at the outhouse of Justice Yashwant Varma’s official residence. These materials include an inquiry report by Delhi High Court Chief Justice Upadhyay and Justice Varma’s response. The court also released footage from the Delhi Police showing sacks of cash. Some partially burnt, found after a fire at the judge’s residence on March 14.
Fire Incident and Initial Findings
According to the Delhi High Court’s report, the fire broke out in a storeroom with restricted access. It was mainly used by residents, servants, gardeners, and CPWD staff. The Delhi Police Commissioner informed Chief Justice Upadhyay about the incident on March 15. The next day, the High Court Registrar inspected the site and reported the findings.
Delhi Police reported that by the morning of March 15, debris and burnt materials had been cleared from the storeroom. The police also noted that a security guard confirmed this removal. The report concluded that further investigation was necessary to determine how the cash appeared in the room and who removed it.
Justice Varma’s Defense
Justice Varma denied all allegations. He clarified that the storeroom was separate from his residence and was commonly used for storage. It was emphasized that neither he nor his family had ever placed cash in that room.
He also raised concerns about inconsistencies in the case. It was pointed out that no money was found when the High Court Registrar visited the site on March 15. He alleged that this was part of a conspiracy against him, citing previous social media accusations from December 2024.
Supreme Court’s Next Steps
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has ordered a deeper investigation. He instructed Justice Varma not to delete any data from his mobile phone. Additionally, he directed the Delhi High Court Chief Justice to obtain further explanations from Justice Varma regarding the cash and its removal.
A three-member committee has been set up to conduct an in-house inquiry. The panel includes Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has been advised not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma until the inquiry is completed.
