In response to allegations that bundles of burnt currency were discovered and removed during a fire at his residence on the night of March 14-15, Delhi High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma has categorically denied any knowledge of such an occurrence. He stated that his staff, who visited the scene after the fire was extinguished, were not shown any remnants of cash.
Justice Varma explained that the fire broke out around midnight, prompting his daughter and private secretary to alert the fire department—calls that would be duly recorded. Given safety concerns, all members of his household and staff were instructed to stay away from the affected area while firefighters worked to control the blaze. Upon returning to the site after the fire was doused, they saw no cash or currency on the premises.
He further clarified in his response to Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya that none of his staff were presented with any burnt cash or evidence of its removal. He inquired with those present, and they confirmed that no currency had been removed. The only items cleared were debris and salvageable materials, which remain stored separately within the residence and are available for inspection.
Justice Varma firmly believes the incident is part of a conspiracy to frame and tarnish his reputation. His remarks follow the Supreme Court Collegium’s proposal to transfer him on March 20, after reports surfaced regarding cash allegedly found at his residence. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna subsequently directed High Court Chief Justice Upadhyaya to seek a written explanation from Justice Varma.
The CJI’s letter asked for clarification on several key points: how Justice Varma accounts for the presence of cash on his premises, the source of the money, and the identity of the person who purportedly removed the burnt currency on the morning of March 15. Additionally, he instructed the High Court CJ to ensure that Justice Varma does not dispose of his mobile phones or alter any messages, conversations, or data.
Further, details regarding the High Court Registry’s official staff, personal security officers, and security guards assigned to Justice Varma’s residence over the past six months were requested. The CJI also directed that mobile service providers be contacted to obtain call records associated with Justice Varma’s official and personal numbers for the same period.
In his response, Justice Varma clarified that the storeroom in question was commonly used to store old household items, including furniture, crockery, mattresses, carpets, garden tools, and materials belonging to the CPWD. The room was neither locked nor restricted, accessible both from the official front gate and the backdoor of the staff quarters. Importantly, he emphasized that the room was detached from his main residence, contrary to the portrayal in news reports.
He also pointed out that he and his wife were traveling in Madhya Pradesh when the fire occurred and only returned to Delhi on the evening of March 15. Expressing his bewilderment, he noted the absence of any documented recovery or seizure of burnt currency. He categorically asserted that neither his daughter, private secretary, nor household staff were shown any such cash.
Referring to the widely circulated video clip purportedly capturing the fire, Justice Varma questioned why no official seizure of cash was reported if it was indeed present. He stated unequivocally that neither he nor his family ever placed any cash in the storeroom and strongly refuted any claims suggesting otherwise. The very notion that he would store cash in an unsecured, commonly used storeroom near the staff quarters was, in his view, both implausible and absurd.
Justice Varma recalled being shown the video for the first time by the High Court CJ and described his reaction as one of complete shock. What was depicted, he said, did not align with what he had personally seen at the site. This further reinforced his belief that the incident was a deliberate effort to frame him, potentially linked to a series of unfounded allegations that surfaced on social media in December 2024.
Stressing the importance of reputation and integrity in a judge’s life, Justice Varma lamented that his character had been severely tarnished by these baseless accusations. He expressed deep concern that the allegations against him were based on assumptions and unverified claims, without any concrete evidence linking him to the alleged cash.
In conclusion, he stated that he would welcome an inquiry into his judicial conduct, reinforcing his commitment to transparency and accountability.
