Did the Rejection of Daughter's Retraction by the Panel Weigh Heavily on Allegations Against Justice Varma?

New Delhi, June 4 (NationPress) A three-judge panel, appointed by former Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has deemed the explanation provided by Ms. Diya Varma, daughter of Justice Yashwant Varma, to be unconvincing in the investigation concerning the discovery of burnt currency notes at her father's official residence, sources informed IANS.

The findings of the panel have raised significant doubts regarding the credibility of her statements and the events surrounding the incident, the sources elaborated.

As per the report, Diya Varma originally testified that she learned of the burnt currency notes on March 15, following a visit from the PPS to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court to the bungalow, as noted by sources. However, she later attempted to retract this testimony via an email dated April 12, 2025, asserting that her initial statement was made under duress, sources reported. The panel dismissed her retraction, indicating that the original statement had been recorded on video and was consistent with the evidence.

“Varma acknowledged that the video clip captured a firefighter in the storeroom, yet she provided an implausible explanation, suggesting that the room could be elsewhere,” cited a source from the report.

Diya declined to identify the voice of her father’s personal secretary Rajender Singh Karki, despite Karki admitting it was indeed his voice, further suggesting that she may be concealing information, sources mentioned.

“In her statement recorded on April 7, 2025, Ms. Varma acknowledged learning about the half-burnt cash found in the storeroom on March 15, 2025, during the PPS's visit to the bungalow. This admission was later sought to be retracted through communication to the Committee on April 12, 2025, but the Committee rejected this request following a verification of the video recording on April 17, 2025,” the sources said.

“The demeanor of the witness suggested she is a confident young woman, accustomed to hostel life and being an independent professional. This contradicts her claim of feeling overwhelmed and panicked during the fateful night, which led to her alleged incorrect statement and later retraction,” sources cited from the report.

It is noteworthy that she made phone calls to the relevant fire station, evidenced by screenshots. At one point, she informed fire personnel that the fire had been controlled and they need not respond, sources indicated, adding, “Her conduct appears natural given the alarm raised by domestic staff late at night, alongside smoke billowing from the storeroom, prompting her to call for help.”

Meanwhile, the panel's findings have cast a long shadow over Justice Yashwant Varma's integrity. The report substantiates claims of unaccounted cash being present at his Tughlak Crescent residence during a fire incident on March 14. Despite Justice Varma's strong denials, the evidence presents a compelling narrative of misconduct and intentional concealment, according to sources.

In a pivotal development, the Central government is poised to initiate impeachment proceedings against sitting Justice Yashwant Varma, following grave allegations of financial misconduct. Highly placed sources indicated that a motion for his removal will be introduced in the upcoming Parliament session.

On the night of March 14, a fire erupted in a storeroom at Justice Varma's official residence. Firefighters uncovered a substantial quantity of burnt currency notes, predominantly in Rs 500 denominations, sources noted. This finding was corroborated by a sanitation worker who discovered remnants of burnt notes outside the residence the next day, sources confirmed. These revelations starkly contradict Justice Varma's assertions that no cash was present in the storeroom.

In light of these findings, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, initiated an in-house inquiry into the matter. Justice Varma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, pending the inquiry's outcome. This action underscores the seriousness of the allegations and the judiciary's commitment to uphold its integrity, experts noted.