A fire broke out in the outhouse of Justice Yashwant Varma’s home, On March 14, where a large amount of cash was reportedly found. This incident has led to many doubts and concerns about what really happened. Officials have not yet explained where the money came from or why it was there. As more questions arise, the issue is getting a lot of attention from the public and legal experts.
In a surprising move, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna shared an early investigation report about the claims of unaccounted cash found at the home of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma.
This revelation sparked numerous theories. Is there a conspiracy against a judge who is regarded as both upright and competent by the legal community, or is Justice Varma indeed at fault? Regardless of the truth, the judiciary is now under intense scrutiny, and it’s the public’s opportunity to question the judges.
The documents made public, including the report from Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyay and Justice Varma’s response, have raised a multitude of questions that must be addressed.
Also Read: Notable Judgments by Justice Yashwant Varma: Delhi High Court
The panel established by the CJI must act promptly to ensure a logical resolution to this case, which is vital for the integrity of justice and the Indian judiciary. A fire at an outhouse of Justice Varma’s residence on March 14 is said to have led to the discovery of significant amounts of cash.
Justice Varma has alleged that there is a conspiracy to frame and discredit him, and a purported video of the incident, which allegedly shows burning cash, has gone viral online.
A committee comprising two Chief Justices and a High Court judge has been formed to investigate the matter. In the meantime, Justice Varma has had his judicial responsibilities reassigned.
The Key Questions
- Who was responsible for removing the debris, and under whose instructions did this occur?
A security guard stationed at Justice Varma’s residence reportedly disclosed that some debris and partially burnt items were cleared away on the morning of March 15. This raises critical questions: On whose orders were these items removed, and where are they now?
According to a police report released by the CJI,
“Four to five half-burnt sacks containing remains of Indian currency were found in the said room after the fire was extinguished.”
Why wasn’t the room properly sealed given the suspicious nature of this discovery? Notably, the security guard’s statement does not specify that any currency was removed.
- Was it taken the same night or the following morning?
In his defense against the allegations, Justice Varma stated that after the fire was put out, his family and staff were permitted to enter the area but did not observe any cash present.
This has led him to question the credibility of the circulating video and any claims of money being recovered.
- Why wasn’t the cash shown to his family or staff immediately after the incident?
It is evident that no money was found on the evening of March 15, as indicated in the report by the Registrar-cum-Secretary to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court. The Secretary noted the presence of burnt items during his visit to the scene at 9:10 PM on March 15 but did not mention any currency.
- Why does the Secretary’s report remain silent on the nature of the debris at the scene?
The Secretary visited the outhouse in the presence of Justice Yashwant Varma. His report confirms the presence of burnt debris, contradicting the security guard’s claim that the items were removed the morning of March 15.
The report states,
“Upon my arrival, I found that it was completely dark inside the room, and the walls had developed cracks. We all turned on our mobile phone torches to inspect the interior. The walls were blackened by fire, with materials hanging from the ceiling and half-burnt articles scattered on the floor. After about 8-10 minutes, we exited the room,”
Importantly, the report does not mention any money or remnants of currency, a detail Justice Varma has also highlighted in his defense.
Justice Varma noted in his response to the Chief Justice,
“When I, along with my PS and PPS, inspected the charred room, no currency or cash was found on-site. This is corroborated by the report I received. Following that inspection, and per your instructions, the gutted room remains in its current state,”
- An obvious question arises: who keeps money in an outhouse?
Justice Varma has firmly denied that he or his family stored cash in the storeroom, arguing,
“The suggestion that someone would store cash in an open and accessible storeroom near the staff quarters or in an outhouse is both incredible and implausible.”
This point gains significance, especially considering that just months prior, there were social media claims linking him to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case from 2018.
Justice Varma will likely raise this question during the inquiry, having already denied any association with the burnt money.
- Has the phone that recorded the videos been seized to preserve evidence?
The most crucial evidence in this case is the purported video of the incident, and it seems there are multiple videos of the burning site, likely taken by officials from the Delhi Police and the Delhi Fire Department.
Given the importance of these videos, have the mobile phones used to record them been seized for evidence preservation? While the call detail records (CDR) from the past six months of Justice Varma’s phone have been preserved, there seems to be no directive from the CJI or the High Court Chief Justice to secure these mobile devices.
Justice Varma has expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the video. His language in response is telling, he stated to the Chief Justice,
“Assuming without admitting that the video was taken immediately at the time of the incident at the site, none of it appears to have been recovered or seized,”
- Why did it take the police more than 17 hours to notify the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court?
The fire erupted on March 14 at 11:30 PM, yet it wasn’t until 4:50 PM on March 15 that Commissioner of Police Sanjay Arora contacted High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya. Although the details of what Arora disclosed to the Chief Justice are redacted in the report, it was sufficient for him to reach out to the CJI and begin inquiries.
Why was there such a significant delay in informing the Chief Justice, especially since the Commissioner already possessed a video showing the discovery of cash? It is noteworthy that during this time, debris was allegedly removed from the outhouse.
- Where is the CCTV footage from Justice Varma’s residence?
In his response, Justice Varma indicated that the room was accessible to house staff and occasionally to personnel from the Central Public Works Department (CPWD).
The storeroom, where the fire started, is reportedly located next to the guard room, where Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel are stationed. Justice Varma noted that, aside from the staff, only his daughter and elderly mother were at home when the fire broke out.
Given Justice Varma’s claims of a conspiracy surrounding this incident, it is essential to investigate whether this was merely a case of a fire caused by a short circuit.
The CCTV footage from the residence would provide crucial evidence to clarify the events of that night and the following morning.
One can only hope that this digital record has been secured and has not disappeared, as often occurs in police stations when allegations of torture or illegal custody arise.