NEW DELHI: A fire, a judge and an enigma -- what truly transpired behind the closed doors of Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma’s residence on the fateful night of March 14?
The controversy surrounding the alleged recovery of cash from his home has taken an unexpected twist, with official records contradicting speculative claims.
The “fire report,” meticulously compiled by the Delhi Fire Service (DFS), casts a starkly different light on the matter. Nowhere in its precise documentation is there a whisper of cash discovery. Instead, the report narrates a simpler, more mundane sequence of events--yet, in the shadow of swirling allegations, even the most straightforward details invite scrutiny.
The DFS, in its report, which was accessed by The New Indian Express, didn't mention recovering any cash but said the fire was in a store room filled with stationery and domestic articles and no casualties were reported.
Earlier, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association had in a press release stated their dismay at Judge Varma being transferred to their court after the seizure of 'Rs 15 crore' from his bungalow.
As per the DFS account, the blaze erupted at the judge’s Tughlaq Road residence. At precisely 11:35 p.m., an emergency call pierced the quiet of the capital, summoning firefighters into action.
Two fire tenders roared to life, racing towards the scene. The battle against the flames was swift — within half an hour the embers were tamed. The firefighters, satisfied with their efforts, withdrew to the Safdarjung fire station, classifying the incident as a “small fire.”
There was a further twist to the tale. Later in the night, DFS chief Atul Garg denied media reports claiming that he had said, "Our fire fighters did not find any cash during their fire fighting operation."
The legal community had been left in disbelief on Friday as reports emerged of a substantial amount of cash allegedly discovered at Justice Varma’s residence.
The shocking developments raised serious concerns and cast a shadow over the judiciary’s integrity.