Justice Yashwant Varma, in a point-by-point six-page explanation directed to Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya, refuted any connection to the money found allegedly in his home storeroom where it caught fire.
He explained the storeroom was detached from the main home, left unsecured, and open to all, thereby raising doubts about accuracy in media releases and the assertions made against him. Justice Varma strongly refuted the notion that the burnt currency belonged to him or his family, insisting that no money was ever kept in the storeroom by anyone in his family.
He blamed the media for what he felt was inaccurate reporting, regretting that proper investigation did not take place before it implicated him in the issue. He also pointed out that no money had been discovered during a site visit by Chief Justice Upadhyaya's secretary on the evening of March 15, and that the storeroom remained untouched after the fire.
The explanation highlighted that the storeroom which was affected by the fire, where the alleged cash was found, was separate from the living area of the family. Furthermore, he added that the family had only made transactions through normal banking mediums, such as UPI and card payments. Justice Varma also refuted the accusations made by the Delhi Fire Service Chief, confirming that no cash had been recovered or confiscated from the property, and no such finding was reported by any of his employees.
Justice Varma also referred to an earlier incident in December, when social media had spread unsubstantiated reports of his being a party to a case of cheating, suggesting possible targeted actions against him.
As for the video and images of the burnt money that went viral in the media, Justice Varma said that he came across them only when he met Chief Justice Upadhyaya on March 17 and voiced his suspicion that the incident could have been part of a conspiracy.
The case is now under examination, and a three-member committee has been constituted to look into the matter further. If the committee is satisfied that the charges are genuine, the Chief Justice of India may ask Justice Varma to resign, and if he declines, refer the report for impeachment proceedings in Parliament.
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