Allegations of Conspiracy: Justice Yashwant Varma Addresses Delhi HC
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Synopsis
Justice Yashwant Varma, accused of having unaccounted cash found at his home, claims it is a conspiracy to defame him. He maintains that no cash was ever stored at the site and emphasizes the damage to his reputation.
Key Takeaways
- Justice Varma claims allegations are part of a conspiracy.
- No cash was found during the fire incident.
- The storeroom is not part of his main residence.
- He stresses the importance of his reputation as a judge.
- A committee has been established to investigate the claims.
New Delhi, March 23 (NationPress) In a formal statement submitted to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court (HC), Justice Yashwant Varma, who is currently dealing with accusations related to a significant amount of unaccounted cash reportedly found at his residence last week, declared on Saturday that the footage showcasing a pile of burnt cash seemed to be a conspiracy to frame and malign him.
"I was completely taken aback by the details in the video, which portrayed something that was not present at the site as I had observed. This prompted my belief that it clearly seemed to be a conspiracy intended to frame and malign me," Justice Varma stated.
According to the judge, the situation reinforces his strong conviction that the entire event is part of a series of incidents, including unfounded accusations that circulated on social media in December 2024.
"I categorically assert that neither I nor any family member ever stored or kept any cash or currency in that storeroom at any time. Our cash withdrawals, made periodically, are fully documented and always conducted through standard banking channels, including UPI applications and cards. Regarding the allegation of cash recovery, I reiterate that no one from my household reported seeing any currency in a burnt state in that room," Justice Varma emphasized.
He elaborated that the storeroom, which caught fire, was generally used by various individuals to store items such as unused furniture, bottles, crockery, mattresses, used carpets, old speakers, gardening tools, and materials from the Central Public Works Department.
Justice Varma also pointed out that the room is accessible from both the official front gate and the backdoor of the staff quarters and is disconnected from the main residence, thereby not being a part of his house.
During the fire extinguishing efforts, all staff and family members were instructed to maintain a safe distance from the incident scene, he mentioned, adding that once the fire was under control, they saw no cash or currency at the location.
"The mere suggestion that we stored cash in an open, accessible, and commonly used storeroom near the staff quarters or in an outhouse is utterly absurd and unbelievable," Justice Varma remarked.
He continued, "The room is entirely separate from my living spaces, with a boundary wall delineating my residence from that outhouse. I only wish that the media had conducted an investigation before I was publicly accused and defamed."
"Assuming, without conceding, that the video was captured immediately during the incident, none of it appears to have been recovered or seized. Additionally, I must emphasize that none of the staff were shown any remnants of cash or currency that may have been present at the site," he stated.
Justice Varma firmly asserted that neither his daughter, personal secretary, nor household staff were shown the alleged sacks of burnt currency, and upon accessing the storeroom, there was no currency, burnt or otherwise, visible.
"In a judge's life, nothing holds more significance than reputation and character. That has been severely damaged and irreparably harmed. This incident has tarnished my reputation built over more than a decade as a High Court Judge, leaving me with no means to defend myself. I request you to consider that throughout my tenure as a High Court Judge, no such allegations had ever been made against me, nor has any doubt been cast on my integrity," he expressed.
Justice Varma rejected the insinuation that he removed currency from the storeroom.
"We were neither shown nor handed any sacks of burnt currency. In fact, as previously mentioned, the limited debris that was attempted to be salvaged remains in one part of the residence," he stated.
On Friday, the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna established a three-member committee to investigate the allegations against Justice Varma.
"The Chief Justice of India has formed a three-member committee consisting of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana; Justice G.S. Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh; and Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the High Court of Karnataka, to conduct an inquiry into the allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting Judge of the High Court of Delhi," the Supreme Court stated in a press release.
It further mentioned that the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court has been instructed not to assign any judicial tasks to Justice Yashwant Varma for the time being.
