SC makes Delhi HC cash probe report public; releases photos, videos of burnt currency from judge’s residence

NEW DELHI, MAR 23 : The Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya in his 25-page probe report submitted to the Supreme Court said that the alleged cash recovery controversy from the residence of HC judge Justice Yashwant Varma deserves a “deeper probe”.

The Delhi HC’s probe report – furnished by the CJ Upadhyaya – was released by the Supreme Court on its website late on Saturday.

In the probe report, Justice Varma, vehemently denied all the allegations levelled against him. He claimed that the room which caught fire and where cash was allegedly found was an outhouse and not the main building where the judge and family resides.

“I state unequivocally that no cash was ever placed in that storeroom either by me or any of my family members and strongly denounce the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged to us. The very idea or suggestion that this cash was kept or stored by us is totally preposterous. The suggestion that one would store cash in an open, freely accessible and commonly used storeroom near the staff quarters or in an outhouse verges on the incredible and incredulous. It is a room which is completely disassociated from my living areas and a boundary wall demarcates my living area from that outhouse. I only wish that the media had conducted some enquiry before I came to be indicted and defamed in the press,” Justice Varma, said, in his reply, a copy accessed by TNIE.

Justice Varma was also asked not to dispose of his mobile phone.

The probe report also contains the documents/pictures and videos of burnt currency notes and others as shared by the Delhi Police to Delhi HC CJ.

Justice Varma, in his reply, said that no currency was recovered from the premises that he and his family actually occupy and use as a family. “That part of the premises is as indicated removed from the living quarters. It is in the aforesaid background that I urge you to absolve me of these unfounded and baseless allegations,” Justice Varma said.

In an emotional reply, he clarified that as a judge, nothing matters more than reputation and character. That has been severely tarnished and irreparably damaged.

The burnt currency notes (L) and the store room from which the cash was allegedly discovered.

CJI forms panel to probe charges against Justice Varma; directs not to assign him any judicial work

“The baseless allegations that have been levelled against me have proceeded on mere innuendos and an unproven assumption that the cash allegedly seen and found belonged to me,” Justice Varma replied.

Terming that the incident has scarred his reputation built over more than a decade as a Judge of a High Court, Justice Varma said, he has left with no means to defend himself.

“I would also beseech you to bear in consideration that in all my years as a Judge of a High Court, no such allegation had ever been made in the past nor any doubt cast on my integrity. I would be grateful if an enquiry is made with respect to my functioning as a judge and what is the perception of the legal fraternity with regard to my integrity and honesty in the discharge of my judicial functioning,” Justice Varma said.

Claiming his innocence on certain questions put to him, Justice Varma clarified that he was never aware of any money or cash lying in the outhouse storeroom. “Neither I nor any of my family members had any knowledge of cash nor does it have any bearing or relation with me or my family. No such cash or currency was shown to my family members or staff who were present on that fateful night,” he said.

He added that what baffles him is the complete absence of any sacks of allegedly burnt currency which were ever recovered or seized. “We categorically assert that neither my daughter, Private Secretary nor household staff were shown these so-called sacks of burnt currency. I stand by my consistent position that when they accessed the storeroom, there was no currency, burnt or otherwise, which could be seen,” he stated.

Clarifying his stand, he added the storeroom is removed from his residence and was used as a general dump room for disused articles and other sundry household articles.

“I wonder who would countenance an allegation that currency would be kept in a storeroom in a corner of the house and which is freely accessible from amongst others,” Justice Varma in his defence replied.

-PTI