Justice Varma Probe: Did 4-5 Sacks of Currency Ever Exist or Go Up in Smoke?

New Delhi, June 4 (NationPress) A report from a three-judge panel led by the former Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has accused Justice Yashwant Varma based on claims regarding the alleged existence and subsequent destruction of significant amounts of unaccounted cash during a fire incident on March 14 at his residence on Tughlak Crescent in New Delhi. The panel has deemed the allegations "substantiated." However, sources indicate that a thorough examination of the evidence, witness statements, and procedural actions calls for a more detailed evaluation.

The main allegation focuses on the supposed presence of 4-5 sacks filled with currency that were reportedly burned in the outhouse of the property. However, there is no photographic or video documentation from the scene confirming the presence of any such bags, be they burnt, intact, or partially damaged, according to sources.

“Additionally, a substantial group -- approximately 40 to 45 personnel from police and fire services -- was present at the scene. Numerous videos and images were captured during this time, many of which have been submitted to the committee. Yet, none of these witnesses have reported seeing 4-5 sacks overflowing with currency notes either burned or otherwise,” sources argue.

One particularly notable claim -- that a pile of burnt currency measuring about 1.5 feet in height was visible -- lacks verification from any visual materials taken during the incident, nor was it mentioned in any contemporaneous official reports. Observers question how such a specific statement can be supported without concrete evidence.

The notion that the debris collected near the outhouse entrance consisted entirely of burnt currency is also unverified, sources assert. “It is well-known that the outhouse contained numerous household items, all vulnerable to fire damage. The assumption that all debris consisted of currency notes disregards the realistic outcomes of a fire-damaged property and veers into speculation,” sources contend.

Media reports suggesting that crores were either recovered or destroyed have been characterized as entirely speculative, sources state. Testimonies presented to the panel provide only vague descriptions; terms like "large" or "reasonably large" are inherently subjective and cannot be quantified, especially without concrete figures, visual evidence, or formal documentation.

Furthermore, no cash recovery was performed at the scene, according to sources. Experts emphasize that an FIR is not essential for the confiscation of illicit materials, particularly in cases involving suspected wrongdoing. If any currency had been discovered, the police would have been obligated to seize it and verify its legitimacy -- yet no such steps were taken, sources assert. “This procedural oversight is significant; it strengthens the conclusion that no recoverable currency was present,” explains a legal expert.

Crucially, there are no allegations -- nor any proof -- that Justice Varma or his staff obstructed police or fire brigade duties, or interfered with the preparation of official reports, sources maintain.

These reports, according to sources, were prepared independently by authorized officials, without the influence or presence of Justice Varma or his family. Notably, none of these reports mention any discovery of cash or even hint at an estimation of currency being present or burned, sources indicated.