The Supreme Court on Saturday made public a video shared by the Delhi Commissioner of Police with the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, showing stacks of burnt cash allegedly found at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma.
Along with the video, the apex court’s press statement also included a report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Varma’s response, and other relevant documents.
Justice Varma, who faces allegations of unaccounted cash discovery at his home, has dismissed the claims, calling the incident "a conspiracy to frame and malign” him. In his written response to the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, he linked the allegations to previous accusations that surfaced on social media in December 2024.
“I unequivocally state that neither I nor any of my family members had stored or kept any cash or currency in that storeroom at any point of time,” Justice Varma wrote, adding that all his financial transactions were conducted through documented banking channels, UPI, and card payments. He further questioned the credibility of the video, noting that none of his household staff had reported seeing any burned cash at the alleged site.
Amid the controversy, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has set up a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the allegations against Justice Varma. The committee comprises Justice Sheel Nagu (Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court), Justice G.S. Sandhawalia (Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Judge of the Karnataka High Court).
Until the inquiry is completed, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court has been advised not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma. The case has sparked significant legal and political debate, with observers closely watching the proceedings in what could become a high-profile judicial controversy.