Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 23: Following growing suspicion of evidence tampering in the case involving Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, authorities have ramped up their investigation into the March 14 fire incident at his official residence. Senior judges and investigators are focusing on securing phone and call records connected to the event.

Forensic tests are being conducted on the charred currency notes found in an outhouse on Justice Varma’s property, and the investigation will extend to reviewing the call records of all individuals present at the location on the night of the fire. This will include analyzing calls made and received immediately after the fire broke out, according to sources in the Delhi Police.

Justice Varma, however, has denied any wrongdoing, labeling the accusations as part of a conspiracy to damage his reputation. He strongly rejected the claims that he had removed currency from a storeroom on the premises. Varma also disputed the video footage of the burnt Rs 500 notes provided to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, which was filmed while firefighters were addressing the blaze at the outhouse.

Authorities suspect that an attempt was made to tamper with evidence, either during or shortly after the firefighting efforts concluded in the early hours of March 15. The fire had reportedly affected stationery and household items stored in a room separate from Varma’s main living area. Eyewitness testimonies from the Delhi Police Control Room and the firefighting personnel, as well as subsequent video footage, support claims that burnt currency notes were found at the scene.

However, Justice Varma insists that he was shocked upon viewing the video, claiming it depicted items not found at the site when he arrived. He emphasized that the storeroom where the fire occurred was not part of his living area, which was separated by a boundary wall. He expressed frustration over media reports that tarnished his reputation without proper investigation, asserting, "Neither I nor any of my family members had stored or kept any cash or currency in that storeroom at any point."

Justice Varma added that, after the fire was extinguished, neither he nor his family observed any currency at the scene. Following the incident, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna appointed a three-member committee to investigate the matter further. The committee, which includes Chief Justices from the High Courts of Punjab and Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and a judge from the High Court of Karnataka, has been tasked with conducting the inquiry into the allegations.

The committee does not have a set deadline for completion, and the CJI will make a decision based on its findings. In the interim, Justice Varma has been relieved of all judicial duties by the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court.