A confidential inquiry by a Supreme Court-appointed committee has confirmed the discovery of a significant sum of cash at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, then a judge at the Delhi High Court, following a fire incident in mid-March. Sources suggest that members of his household staff may have been involved in removing the money before an official investigation could begin.

The incident, which occurred on March 14, triggered an internal probe after the room where the money was allegedly kept was found locked and had to be forcibly opened. While the committee verified the presence of burnt cash at the location, the actual amount remains unclear due to its disappearance prior to formal examination.

According to sources close to the inquiry, Justice Varma provided "false and misleading" statements when initially questioned about the fire and the cash. These findings led the in-house committee to recommend his removal from judicial office.

Justice Varma, however, has remained unmoved by the allegations. In a written reply to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, he refused to resign or accept wrongdoing. His response, along with the committee's report, has since been sent to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for further action—an escalation in line with constitutional protocol when a High Court judge resists calls to step down.

The Delhi High Court acted swiftly after the initial incident, with Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya launching a preliminary inquiry. Justice Varma was promptly relieved of judicial duties and later transferred to the Allahabad High Court, where he currently holds no case responsibilities.

Justice Varma has consistently denied any link to the cash, calling the allegations baseless. He maintains that the room was easily accessible to various people and dismissed the idea that he or his family had any connection to the money.