‘My reputation has been irreparably damaged’: Justice Yashwant Varma denies cash discovery allegations, calls it a conspiracy

The matter remains under investigation, with questions persisting over the alleged cash discovery and its implications.

Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma has refuted allegations of cash discovery at his residence, calling them a conspiracy aimed at maligning him. In a response to Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya, Justice Varma clarified that the fire, which reportedly led to the alleged cash recovery, broke out in an outhouse used for storing discarded household items, not in his main residence.

According to a Bar & Bench report, Justice Varma categorically denied any cash being stored in the room by him or his family. “The suggestion that one would store cash in an open, freely accessible and commonly used storeroom near the staff quarters or in an outhouse verges on the incredible,” he stated. He also criticised the media for reporting the allegations without verification.

The judge disputed claims of any cash recovery at the site, emphasizing that no one present was shown any currency. “Assuming without admitting that the video shared with me was taken at the time of the incident, none of it appears to have been recovered or seized,” he stated, as per Bar & Bench.

The controversy arose after a fire at Justice Varma’s residence on March 14 allegedly led to the discovery of unaccounted cash. Following this, the Supreme Court Collegium decided to repatriate him to the Allahabad High Court, and Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud initiated an in-house probe.

Justice Varma asserted that when he, along with his staff, inspected the gutted storeroom, no currency was found. He referenced a March 16 report by the Delhi High Court’s Registrar cum Secretary, who was among the first to visit the scene and made no mention of cash recovery.

“What baffles me is the complete absence of any sacks of allegedly burnt currency that were ever recovered or seized,” Justice Varma stated in his reply. He insisted that the incident was part of a larger conspiracy against him, pointing to an earlier FIR filed by the CBI in 2018 and social media allegations from December 2024.

Justice Varma expressed distress over the damage to his reputation, stating that the allegations have left him with no means to defend himself. He urged an inquiry into his judicial conduct, asserting that his integrity had never been questioned in his years on the bench.

“In the life of a judge, nothing matters more than reputation and character. That has been severely tarnished and irreparably damaged,” he stated.

The matter remains under investigation, with questions persisting over the alleged cash discovery and its implications.