The inquiry panel probing the recovery of half-burnt currency from a judge’s residence has given him only six weeks to submit his reply. No further extension will be allowed as the Lok Sabha–backed removal process moves forward.
New Delhi: Justice Yashwant Verma, who is facing serious allegations after bundles of burnt currency notes were found at his official residence, has now been given only six weeks to submit his response. The inquiry committee investigating the matter has clearly told Justice Verma that no further extension of time will be granted.
The inquiry committee is headed by Supreme Court Justice Arvind Kumar. The other members of the panel are Madras High Court Chief Justice M.M. Srivastava and senior advocate B.V. Acharya.
This three-member committee was constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after a resolution seeking Justice Verma’s removal was signed by 146 Members of Parliament and admitted in the Lok Sabha.
Earlier, during proceedings held on December 5, Justice Verma had requested eight weeks’ time to respond to the allegations.
However, the inquiry panel has rejected that request and has allowed only six weeks. The committee has made it clear that Justice Verma will not be given any additional time beyond this deadline.
The matter relating to the recovery of burnt cash from Justice Verma’s house has already reached Parliament. A formal motion seeking his removal has been initiated in the Lok Sabha, making this one of the most serious cases involving a sitting High Court judge.
Along with granting six weeks’ time to respond, the committee has also served Justice Verma with a detailed memo containing the allegations and supporting evidence.
The inquiry proceedings are expected to resume in the last week of January. The memo issued by the panel mainly focuses on the incident that allegedly took place on the night of March 14–15.
According to the material placed before the committee, a fire broke out in a room at Justice Verma’s official bungalow located in the Lutyens’ Zone of Delhi. During firefighting operations, bundles of cash were allegedly found burning inside the premises.
The memo includes statements from officials of the Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Service who were present at the spot. It also contains video footage reportedly recorded by fire personnel, which allegedly shows burnt currency notes while the fire was being extinguished.
In addition to this, the inquiry panel has relied on witness statements that were earlier recorded during an in-house investigation conducted by a committee formed under former Chief Justice of India Sanjeev Khanna.
Justice Verma will be given a full opportunity to defend himself during the inquiry. He has the right to submit documents and evidence to support his claim of innocence before the panel appointed by the Lok Sabha Speaker.
He will also be allowed to cross-examine witnesses whose statements form part of the allegations against him.
It is important to note that about a week after the alleged recovery of cash from his residence, Justice Verma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to his parent Allahabad High Court.
Following the transfer, he has not been assigned any judicial work and continues to remain without court responsibilities.
ALSO READ: What’s Next for Justice Yashwant Varma? Impeachment Heat Rises After Burnt Cash Discovery
The case has attracted nationwide attention as it involves allegations of corruption against a sitting judge and the rare use of the constitutional process for judicial removal.
The outcome of the inquiry will play a crucial role in determining whether Parliament proceeds further on the removal motion against Justice Yashwant Verma.
Click Here to Read More Reports On Half-Burnt Cash Case
