New Delhi: The Supreme Court has made public a 25-page probe report by Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya regarding the alleged recovery of cash from the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma. The report, now available on the apex court’s website, calls for a “deeper probe” into the controversy while also documenting Justice Varma’s strong denial of the allegations.
Justice Varma, in his detailed response, refuted any connection between himself or his family and the alleged cash. He clarified that the room where the fire broke out and the currency was purportedly found was an outhouse and not part of his family’s residence. He described the accusations as “totally preposterous” and criticized the media for not verifying facts before reporting on the matter.
“I state unequivocally that no cash was ever placed in that storeroom either by me or any of my family members. The suggestion that one would store cash in an open, commonly used storeroom near the staff quarters or in an outhouse verges on the incredible and incredulous,” Justice Varma stated in his response, a copy of which was accessed by TNIE.
The probe report also includes photographs and videos of burnt currency notes, along with other documents submitted by the Delhi Police. Justice Varma emphasized that no money was recovered from the part of the premises occupied by his family. He urged authorities to absolve him of what he called “unfounded and baseless” allegations.
Justice Varma further highlighted the impact of the allegations on his career and personal life, stating that his reputation, built over more than a decade as a High Court judge, had been “severely tarnished and irreparably damaged.” He asserted that the accusations against him were based on “mere innuendos and unproven assumptions.”
“In all my years as a High Court judge, no allegation had ever been made against me, nor has any doubt been cast on my integrity. I would be grateful if an enquiry is conducted into my judicial functioning and my reputation within the legal fraternity,” he added.
He also addressed specific queries raised in the investigation, maintaining that he had no prior knowledge of any cash stored in the outhouse. He expressed confusion over the claims, particularly the alleged recovery of burnt currency sacks, stating that neither his family members nor staff had seen any such evidence on the night of the incident.
“We categorically assert that neither my daughter, my private secretary, nor household staff were shown these so-called sacks of burnt currency. When they accessed the storeroom, there was no currency, burnt or otherwise, in sight,” he said.
Reiterating his innocence, Justice Varma described the storeroom as a general storage space for disused household items and questioned why anyone would keep cash in such an accessible location.
The Supreme Court’s decision to release the report publicly has added further attention to the case, with calls for a thorough investigation continuing. While the report suggests deeper scrutiny, Justice Varma remains firm in his stance, seeking a fair assessment of his record and a restoration of his tarnished reputation.
