The Supreme Court has uploaded a report on its website about the alleged cash stash at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, where firefighters allegedly found piles of charred cash after dousing the flames.
The report made public late on Saturday included photographs and visuals of the charred cash bundles shared with the Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya by the Delhi Police Commissioner.
The report includes Justice Varma’s response, in which he “unequivocally” denied the allegations, saying neither he nor his family members ever placed cash in the storeroom and “strongly denounce the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged to us.”
“At the cost of repetition, 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. Our cash withdrawals, made from time to time, are all documented and always through regular banking channels, the use of UPI applications and cards. Insofar as the allegation of the recovery of cash, I once again make it clear that no one from my house ever reported seeing any currency in burnt form in the room,” Justice Varma said in his response, as recorded in the report.
Justice Varma calls video evidence a ‘conspiracy’
The Delhi High Court judge has said he was shocked by the video and photos shared by the police commissioner, as they allegedly did not match what he saw on-site. He claimed it was a conspiracy to frame and malign him.
“It was during our meeting at the High Court Guesthouse that I was first shown the video and other photographs which had been shared with you (Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya) by the Commissioner of Police. I was totally shocked to see the contents of the video since that depicted something which was not found on-site as I had seen it. It was this which prompted me to observe that this clearly appeared to be a conspiracy to frame and malign me,” Justice Varma, in his response as noted in the report, said.
Justice Upadhyaya’s report said the Delhi Police Commissioner cited a guard’s account that debris and burnt items were removed from the room where the fire broke out on March 15.
He found no sign of unauthorised entry, apart from residents, staff, and CPWD workers. Calling for a deeper probe, he submitted the report on March 21, which was made public on Saturday night.
“On examining the incident reported, the material available and the response of Justice Yashwant Varma, what I find is that the Commissioner of Police in his report dated Marg 16, 2025 has reported that as per the guard posted at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, the debris and other partially burnt articles were removed from the room where the fire had broken out in the morning of March 15, 2025,” Justice Upadhyaya mentions in the report.
“The enquiry conducted by me, prima facie, does not reveal possibility of entry or access to the room by any person other than those residing in the bungalow, the servants, the gardeners and CPWD personnel, if any. Accordingly, I am of the prima facie opinion that the entire matter warrants a deeper probe,” Justice Upadhyaya said in his report dated March 21.
CJI seeks call records of Justice Yashwant Varma for probe
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, after receiving the report, wrote to Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyay on March 21, seeking the call detail records and internet protocol detail records (IDPR) of Justice Yashwant Varma for the last six months for further investigation.
“Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma may be requested to not dispose of his mobile phone(s) or delete or modify any conversation, messages or data from his mobile phone(s). The reply submitted by Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma, along with your comments, may be furnished to me immediately for further action,” Justice Sanjiv Khanna writes.
Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya has urged Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to initiate a thorough probe, citing the Delhi Police Commissioner’s findings at Justice Yashwant Varma’s residence.
