Delhi, 23 March (H.S.): A report by Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya of the Delhi High Court concerning alleged cash found at Justice Yashwant Varma's residence was published on the Supreme Court's website to promote transparency. The report contains Justice Varma’s explanations and relevant documents, with some names redacted for confidentiality.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and other collegium members authorized the report's release to counter misinformation. Justice Varma strongly denied the accusations, expressing surprise over a police video suggesting cash was found, which he dismissed as misleading and possibly part of a conspiracy. Upon learning of the incident while in Bhopal through his daughter, he initiated a meticulous investigation into his staff and security personnel, with Chief Justice Khanna submitting key questions regarding the cash incident and directing Varma to preserve mobile data for scrutiny.

Justice Varma asserted that no cash or remnants were found at his residence, questioning the allegations' credibility given the room's purpose as a general dump. Senior lawyer Harish Salve criticized the collegium system’s effectiveness in this context, noting a statement from the Delhi fire chief confirming no cash was discovered.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar