Constant questions arise around the incident of burned cash found at the official residence of then Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Verma. In the process, it emerged that his suspicious and unusual behavior compelled the investigation committee to deliberate against him. The committee's report highlights several points that raise serious questions within the judiciary.
In fact, on the night of Holi, March 14, a fire erupted at Justice Verma's official residence in Tughlaq Crescent, Delhi. At that time, he along with his wife was in Bhopal, while his daughter and elderly mother were at home. Firefighters, when extinguishing the fire, discovered sacks filled with cash burning in a storeroom. The situation took a turn when two videos from the scene emerged, amplifying the incident.
Following this sensation, CJI Sanjeev Khanna on March 22 set up an investigation committee, comprising senior judges from Punjab-Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka High Courts. After a 42-day investigation, the committee submitted its report. It clearly stated that on the day of the incident, a significant amount of cash was present in the storeroom at Justice Verma's residence. This conclusion contradicted Justice Verma's claim of denying any cash presence.
Main findings in the report against Justice Verma:
1. Mysterious WhatsApp Chats:
During the investigation, Justice Verma's staff revealed that on the night of March 14-15, communication occurred solely via WhatsApp calls and messages. The encrypted communication rendered data recovery impossible. The committee deemed it indicative of unusually restricted and deliberate contact.
2. Did Not Inspect the Storeroom After Returning:
Even after returning to Delhi, Justice Verma and his wife did not inspect the storeroom where the event transpired. They linked it to family concerns, yet the committee noted that in such situations, anyone would surely assess the damage.
. Claimed Conspiracy but No Complaint:
The report mentions that despite claiming the incident as a conspiracy, Justice Verma filed no complaint with the police, High Court, or Supreme Court, nor demanded any formal inquiry.
4. Quietly Accepted Transfer:
According to the investigation report, Justice Verma accepted his transfer orders on the same day they were proposed. He had until the next morning to respond but accepted immediately without questioning.
Other Significant Details:
CCTV Cameras Non-functional: The CCTV cameras monitoring the storeroom were non-functional. Justice Verma stated these cameras were under the security department's control, and he didn't know why they were turned off.
Evidence Shows Cash: On the midnight of March 15, HC Sunil Kumar captured an 11-second video on his mobile. It showed large amounts of cash at the storeroom's entrance and inside. In the video, a voice says, 'Cash, cash everywhere... see it’s visible.'
Second Video States All Burned: Approximately 20 seconds after the first video, another 22-second video was made. In this, a person tells an officer, 'All burned, sir,' indicating all the cash was indeed burnt.
