Duties of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma immediately withdrawn on the order of the Delhi High Court today. This decision, reflected in the updated supplementary cause list, follows recent developments surrounding a fire incident at his residence on March 14, 2025, which led to the discovery of a substantial amount of cash.
However, Justice Varma denied the allegations, asserting that neither he nor his family owns the cash. He claimed that the incident was part of a conspiracy to malign his image. The cash was allegedly found in an outhouse, not the main building where he and his family reside. He said that no cash was ever placed in the storeroom by him or his family members. Supreme Court released an enquiry report filed by Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya. The report expressed a prima facie opinion that the matter warrants a deeper investigation.
A fire broke-out at about 11:30 pm in a storehouse near the office at 30, Tughlak Crescent, New Delhi, which is allotted to Justice Varma. A PCR call was made at 11:43 pm by the Private Secretary to Justice Varma. No separate call was made to the fire department. Justice Varma was in Bhopal at the time. Justice Varma’s daughter and his aged mother were at the residence.
A report was shared by the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, to the Chief Justice Upadhyaya on his WhatsApp. This report stated that the cause of the fire prima facie was short circuit. The report also stated that four to five sacks containing remains of Indian currency were also found in the storehouse. That same day, the Commissioner of Police also made a telephonic call to Chief Justice Upadhyaya informing him about the incident of fire.
Chief Justice Upadhyaya was also not in town that day. He was in Lucknow. Later that same day in the evening, Chief Justice Upadhyaya spoke to the Chief Justice of India. CJI Khanna asked Chief Justice Upadhyaya to find out the source from whom the PCR call was made.
That day, the Commissioner of Police informed Chief Justice Upadhyaya that the PCR call was made by the Personal Secretary to Justice Varma and that he was informed about the fire by one of the servants placed at the residence of Justice Varma. It was also informed to Chief Justice Upadhyaya that the fire service was not informed separately, though once PCR was contacted the information relating to fire was automatically sent to the Delhi Fire Service.