A Supreme Court-appointed inquiry panel has revealed that multiple witnesses saw a large stash of currency notes inside the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court. Despite this, the judge neither filed a police complaint nor informed judicial authorities. The panel described his behaviour as “unnatural” and recommended his removal from office.
The three-member inquiry panel—comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court—was formed on March 22 by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to investigate the matter.
Supreme Court-appointed inquiry panel has found “sufficient substance” in the allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court after a large stash of cash was discovered at his Delhi residence. The panel cited multiple eyewitness accounts and visual evidence showing a significant amount of currency notes — some reportedly half-burnt — inside the judge’s home. It also criticised Justice Varma’s “unnatural” behaviour, particularly his failure to report the incident or inform judicial authorities, and recommended his removal.
The panel, after examining 55 witnesses—including Justice Yashwant Varma’s daughter—found consistent testimony from fire and police officials. Videos and photographs further corroborated these accounts, revealing “a large pile” of Rs 500 currency notes scattered across the floor of a storeroom in his residence.
One witness told the panel, “I was shocked and surprised by such a large amount of cash — it was the first time I had ever seen anything like it.”
Despite this, neither Justice Yashwant Varma nor his family informed the police or reported the matter to senior judicial authorities. The panel found his explanation unconvincing, stating, “No plausible reason has been offered. The judge’s claim of ignorance is simply not credible.” It further questioned, “If there was any conspiracy, why didn’t he file a complaint or notify the Chief Justice of the High Court or the Chief Justice of India?”
A Supreme Court-appointed inquiry panel has recommended the removal of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma after multiple witnesses testified to discovering a large stash of currency notes — some reportedly half-burnt — inside his official residence in Delhi. The panel found his conduct “unnatural” and his failure to report the incident highly suspicious.
Eyewitnesses Include Fire and Police Officials
Ten individuals, including senior officers from the Delhi Fire Service and the Delhi Police, confirmed seeing the pile of Rs 500 currency notes in the storeroom, which had caught fire. These witnesses include:
Ankit Sehwag (Fire Officer, DFS)
Pradeep Kumar (Fire Officer, DFS)
Manoj Mehlawat (Station Officer, DFS)
Bhanwar Singh (Driver, DFS)
Pravindra Malik (Fire Officer, DFS)
Suman Kumar (Asst. Divisional Officer, DFS)
Rajesh Kumar (Tughlaq Road Police Station)
Sunil Kumar (Incharge, ICPCR)
Roop Chand (Head Constable)
Umesh Malik (SHO, Tughlaq Road Police Station)
The panel noted that access to the storeroom — the location of both the fire and the hidden cash — was controlled solely by Justice Varma and his family. Shockingly, the room was later cleaned out and the cash “disappeared.”
Attempt to Suppress Evidence Alleged
Fire officials reported that a private secretary to the judge allegedly instructed them not to include any mention of the cash in their official documentation. A senior fire officer also told them to drop the matter, citing the involvement of “higher-ups.”
Despite denials from domestic staff, the panel found no reason to doubt the independent and consistent testimony from police and fire department personnel.
Panel Rejects ‘Conspiracy’ Claim
Justice Varma’s claim that the incident was a conspiracy to tarnish his reputation was dismissed by the panel. “Currency notes were seen by multiple people and recorded in real time. It is implausible they were planted to frame him,” the report stated.
The panel also raised suspicions about the involvement of Justice Varma’s daughter, Diya Varma, and his private secretary, Rajinder Singh Karki, in possibly destroying evidence or cleaning up the scene.
Judge Remains Defiant
Justice Varma first came under the scanner in March after the fire broke out at his residence. The inquiry confirmed that a “substantial amount” of cash, allegedly stacked up to 1.5 feet high was recovered. He has since been transferred back to the Allahabad High Court but has not been assigned any judicial duties.
Despite mounting evidence, Justice Varma has not resigned or sought voluntary retirement. He maintains his innocence and has labelled the inquiry “fundamentally unjust.”
