In an unusual move, the Supreme Court of India has made public a detailed inquiry report, photographs, and videos related to allegations about unaccounted cash being found at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court. Watch video below 👇 and download press release given at last of this news.
Supreme Court released Cash Video and Pictures at residence of Justice Yashwant Varma. Large amount of Cash was found at residence of Delhi Judge Yashwant Varma.#YashwantVarma #DelhiHighCourtJudge pic.twitter.com/A5z8MrrwsT
— Hellobanker (@Hellobanker_in) March 23, 2025
The Supreme Court uploaded these documents on its website, which include a report by the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, a response from Justice Varma, and videos and photographs from the Delhi Police showing a fire at his residence.
This is the first time such an internal inquiry report involving a sitting judge has been made available to the public.
Why Was Justice Yashwant Varma Investigated?
The issue began on March 14, 2025, when a fire broke out in a storeroom of Justice Varma’s official residence. The next day, Delhi Police reported the incident to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Upadhyay.
During the firefighting operation, sacks containing large amounts of cash, some of which were burnt, were found in the storeroom. This led to suspicions about the source and ownership of the money.
On March 16, after being informed of the situation, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna directed a deeper probe into the matter.
What Does the Inquiry Report Say?
According to the report by Chief Justice Upadhyay of the Delhi High Court:
- The fire started in a storeroom that was not easily accessible to outsiders.
- The Delhi Police Commissioner informed him about the fire on March 15 at 4:50 PM, nearly 17 hours after it had occurred.
- The fire was first reported by Justice Varma’s Personal Secretary (PS), who learned about it from the household staff.
- The Chief Justice personally visited the scene with the Registrar of the High Court and met Justice Varma.
- When shown pictures of the burnt cash, Justice Varma expressed concern about a possible conspiracy against him.
Based on these findings, Chief Justice Upadhyay recommended a deeper investigation and stated that the entire matter warrants further inquiry.
Supreme Court’s Action and Justice Varma’s Response
On March 21, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna took the following steps:
- Ordered a response from Justice Varma, asking him about the source of the cash, who removed the burnt cash on March 15, and instructed him not to delete or dispose of any data from his phone.
- Published the response of Justice Varma, in which he strongly denied all allegations.
- Formed a three-member inquiry committee to investigate further.
In his response, Justice Varma denied all allegations, stating that the storeroom was not part of his living space, and the cash did not belong to him or his family. He also criticized the media for defaming him without proper investigation.
He stated that the storeroom was near the staff quarters and accessible to servants, gardeners, and CPWD workers. He called the allegation that he stored large sums of money in an open, accessible storeroom completely baseless.
Three-Member Committee Formed for Further Investigation
After reviewing the Delhi HC Chief Justice’s report and Justice Varma’s response, CJI Sanjiv Khanna has formed a three-member committee to conduct an in-house investigation.
Members of the Inquiry Committee:
- Justice Sheel Nagu – Chief Justice, Punjab & Haryana High Court
- Justice GS Sandhawalia – Chief Justice, Himachal Pradesh High Court
- Justice Anu Sivaraman – Judge, Karnataka High Court
Until the investigation is complete, the Delhi High Court Chief Justice has been directed not to assign any judicial work to Justice Yashwant Varma.
What Happens Next?
With the formation of the three-member committee, the Supreme Court is expected to conduct a detailed internal investigation into the allegations. The committee will examine all evidence, including the burnt cash, police reports, and witness statements, to determine whether Justice Varma was involved or if a conspiracy was at play.
For now, Justice Varma remains under scrutiny, and he will not handle any cases until the probe is completed. The Supreme Court’s decision to make this report public highlights its commitment to transparency and accountability in the judiciary.
