Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court has strongly refuted allegations linking him to the discovery of burnt cash at his official residence. The judge categorically denied that he or any member of his family had stored or possessed any cash in the storeroom that caught fire on the night of March 14-15, 2025.
Justice Yashwant Varma dubs it as a orchestrated attempt to malign his reputation
In his response to Delhi High Court Chief Justice D. K. Upadhyaya, Justice Varma described the allegations as an orchestrated attempt to malign his reputation. His reply comes in the wake of an in-house probe initiated by Supreme Court Justice Sanjiv Khanna to investigate the incident and the subsequent media reports.
Justice Yashwant Varma, in his statement, expressed his dismay over the media’s handling of the incident. “Neither I nor any of my family members had any knowledge of any money in the storeroom. No such cash or currency was shown to my family members or staff who were present on that fateful night,” he asserted.
On the intervening night of March 14-15, a fire broke out in a storeroom located near the staff quarters of Justice Varma’s residence in Lutyens’ Delhi. According to his statement, the storeroom was commonly used to keep unused household items, including furniture, crockery, mattresses, and garden tools.
“This room is unlocked and accessible from both the official front gate and the backdoor of the staff quarters. It is completely separate from my main residence,” Justice Varma clarified, refuting claims that the alleged cash was found in his house.
He further explained that on the night of the fire, he and his wife were traveling in Madhya Pradesh and were not present in Delhi. His daughter and elderly mother were at home when the fire broke out.
As per his statement, Justice Yashwant Varma daughter and his private secretary immediately alerted the Fire Department, which responded to douse the flames. The presence of burnt cash was never confirmed by his family or staff after the fire was extinguished.
“During the firefighting operation, all household members and staff were moved away for safety reasons. When they returned, there was no sight of any cash or currency. Any claims suggesting we removed currency from the storeroom are baseless,” the judge said.
Justice Yashwant Varma rejected any possibility that he or his family had stored cash in such an openly accessible space. “The suggestion that we would keep cash in an unlocked, commonly used storeroom is preposterous,” he added.
However, videos showing burnt currency at the scene have surfaced in the public domain, adding to the controversy. Justice Varma has yet to provide any explanation regarding these visuals, further fueling speculation. Additionally, legal work has been withdrawn from him following the incident, raising further questions about his judicial standing.
Judicial Probe and Bar Association’s Reaction
Following the controversy, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Saturday constituted a three-member committee of senior judges to conduct an inquiry into the allegations that a “huge” amount of cash was found at the official residence of senior Delhi High Court Judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, during a blaze a few days ago.
The three members of the committee are Punjab and Haryana Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia, and Karnataka High Court Judge, Justice Anu Sivaraman.
In respect of transfer order of Justice Yashwant Varma, Bar Association of Allahabad High Court has openly criticized the proposal, stating, “Allahabad is not trash bin,” making it clear that the legal community is not in Favor of his transfer amid such serious allegations.
Justice Yashwant Varma criticized the media for publishing allegations without verifying facts. “I only wish that the media had conducted some inquiry before making baseless allegations and defaming me,” he said.
The incident, which took place around 11:35 PM on Holi night, prompted swift action from the fire department. However, the controversy surrounding the burnt cash has raised questions about how and why such allegations emerged.
As the judicial probe continues, Justice Varma maintains that the allegations are an attempt to frame him. “I strongly denounce any insinuation that the alleged cash belonged to us,” he stated emphatically.
The legal fraternity and the public await further developments as the investigation unfolds. Meanwhile, the judge remains firm in his stance, emphasizing that neither he nor his family has any connection to the alleged burnt currency.
