Justice Varma's Residence Sealed Today Amid Probe
The investigation is ongoing, with the police and the fire department working together to determine the cause of the fire and the origin of the cash found at the judge's residence, as the judiciary faces questions about transparency and accountability.
Delhi Police have sealed the storeroom at Justice Yashwant Varma's residence, where a fire allegedly destroyed a large amount of cash, and conducted a thorough videography of the area, as part of an ongoing investigation into the incident.
The police have obtained CCTV footage showing no unauthorized entry into the premises and have reviewed the judge's cellphone call and internet details. A 40-page report has been prepared for the Supreme Court inquiry commission, which is investigating the matter. The incident has sparked concerns among former Chief Justices of India, former judges, and Attorney Generals, who have called for a thorough probe to determine the source of the money and the circumstances surrounding its presence at the judge's residence.
Former CJI K G Balakrishnan, former CJI Tirath Singh Thakur, former AG Mukul Rohatgi, and former AG K K Venugopal have urged restraint and caution before jumping to conclusions, emphasizing the need for the probe to be completed before any action is taken against Justice Varma. The incident has also raised questions about the timing of Justice Varma's transfer to the Delhi High Court in 2021 and the proposed transfer to the Allahabad High Court.
The probe committee, consisting of Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court Justice G S Sandhawalia, and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court, is expected to investigate the matter thoroughly and examine the case from all angles, with Justice Varma cooperating fully with the inquiry.