NEW DELHI: In the matter concerning Delhi High Court Judge Yashwant Varma, authorities may record the statements of 25 to 30 individuals to reach a conclusion.
On March 14, a fire broke out at Varmaโs official residence, where piles of cash, mostly in denominations of Rs 500, were discovered. Firefighters who arrived to extinguish the blaze recorded a video showing cash being burnt.
The Delhi Police informed the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) about the incident, following which the matter reached the Supreme Court.
On March 20, the Supreme Court Collegium formed a three-judge committee to investigate the case. Justice Varma was asked to provide an explanation regarding the incident. The committee is expected to submit its report in the coming days.
Varma has denied any connection to the recovered cash, asserting that neither he nor his family owned it. He further claimed that no cash was seized at the site and that it was his daughter and secretary who alerted the fire services.
Varma also stated that the storeroom where the cash was found was unlocked and accessible to all.
The Supreme Court has directed the collection of Varmaโs call detail records from the past six months. The three-member panel will verify the location where the cash was burnt on the night of March 14 and investigate whom Varma contacted after the incident. He has been instructed not to dispose of his mobile phone.
Statements of NDMC sweepers who cleaned the residence after the fire will also be recorded. The central government is closely monitoring the developments.
Additionally, household staff, gardeners, and CPWD workers will be questioned as part of the inquiry.
For now, both the Delhi Police and fire officials have remained tight-lipped about the incident.
