Cops quizzed over laxity in HC judge cash probe

A committee set up by the Supreme Court to probe allegations against justice Yashwant Varma turned its attention to possible procedural lapses and laxity by the authorities after the purported discovery of cash at the Delhi high court judge’s house earlier this month, as it questioned six police officers and the city fire chief on Thursday.

The three-member panel – comprising justice Sheel Nagu, chief justice of the Punjab & Haryana high court; justice GS Sandhawalia, chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh high court; and justice Anu Sivaraman, judge of the Karnataka high court – questioned the station house officer of Tughlak Road police station Umesh Malik, a sub-inspector with the PCR unit of the Delhi Police, head constable and investigating officer Roop Chand, sub-inspector Rajneesh and two other police officers of Tughlak Road police stationand Delhi’s fire chief Atul Garg.

“We were questioned for one-two hours each. The committee asked about the volume of the cash we witnessed, why we didn’t file an official report or receipt, and whether we informed our seniors and other agencies in time. There were dozens of questions asked,” said a police officer who was questioned, requesting anonymity.

A second officer said the panel asked the Delhi Fire Services about its preliminary report, the response and action in the case, and what action the firefighters took after ostensibly discovering the cash.

Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla and Delhi Police commissioner Sanjay Arora might also be called for questioning by the panel in the coming days, said people aware of developments.

“The role of the district staff is being probed, and they are being asked why they didn’t preserve the spot sooner, and what instructions did they receive from their seniors on March 14 and 15. A list of 25 officials of the Delhi Police, Delhi Fire Service, New Delhi Municipal Corporation and other agencies has been made by senior police officers. They are all likely to be questioned by the SC-appointed panel. We are also taking down their details,” said the second officer, requesting anonymity.

DCP Mahla, commissioner Arora and Garg did not respond to calls and texts by HT. Justice Varma has claimed that he is being framed in what he described as a “conspiracy to malign” him, categorically denying any connection to the cash reportedly discovered at his residence.

On Thursday, at least eight mobile phones of the five police personnel, including the SHO, were submitted at the Delhi police headquarters, a third senior officer told HT. “Their messages and call records on March 14 and 15 will be analysed. They will be asked why they didn’t inform other officials and departments about the large amount of cash they found,” said the officer, requesting anonymity.

Authorities will now likely try to determine whether any videos were recorded on these mobile phones when the officers arrived at the scene during the fire. If any videos were taken, investigators will check whether they were tampered with or forwarded to other individuals.

The controversy began last Thursday when the SC collegium recommended the transfer of justice Varma back to the Allahabad high court amid rumours and allegations that a huge stash of cash – the exact quantum of the recovery is not known – was recovered in the store room of the judge’s Tughlak Crescent bungalow.

According to the report by Delhi high court chief justice DK Upadhyaya to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, the fire broke out around 11.30pm on March 14. Justice Varma’s personal secretary informed the Police Control Room (PCR) after being told about the blaze by a domestic help. The report said that the fire department was not called separately but was informed by PCR.

A fire report detail filed by DFS, and seen by HT, said the fire personnel arrived at the spot at 11.43pm and left the scene an hour and 56 minutes later. At the time, the judge and his wife were in Bhopal, a fact also corroborated by justice Varma.

It is unclear from Delhi HC chief justice Upadhyaya’s report – some parts of which are redacted – whether the police reached the spot before the fire personnel, whether any cash was discovered at all, and by whom. The report, however, attached a note in Hindi with a redacted signature that said 4-5 half-burnt sacks were recovered, inside which currency was found.

A separate video attached in the report also appeared to show stacks of half-burnt currency in a charred room. But there was no official confirmation – from either the police or the fire department – about the recovery of cash.

Commissioner Arora called Delhi HC chief justice Upadhyaya at 4.50pm on March 15 and informed him of the developments. The report doesn’t detail the conversation.

“I have also been informed that as per the security guard posted at the residence of the hon’ble judge, some debris and half burnt articles were removed in the morning of 15.3.2025,” the report said.

It added that photographs and the video were passed on by the commissioner to CJ Upadhyaya. But it didn’t give details of what items were removed, by whom, and under what process.

Since last week, the allegations have caused ripples in the judiciary, prompted CJI Khanna to institute the panel and fast-track the inquiry, and have repeatedly resonated in Parliament.

On Wednesday, the store room at justice Varma’s house was sealed by the Delhi Police after a two-hour inspection conducted by Mahla. “The room was sealed after the SC appointed committee instructed the police to do so,” said the WHICH officer, requesting anonymity.

The second officer quoted above detailed the allegations of lapses. “Top officers will be called in for questioning by the committee as the district police did not issue a panchnama [a document that records the findings and evidence of a crime scene investigation] in the matter…the piles of cash should have been reported to either the income tax department or a memo under BNSS sections 106 (power of police officer to seize property) or 103 (persons in-charge of closed place to allow search) should have been made. None of this was done,” said the officer, requesting anonymity.

“The police personnel are coordinating with the SC-appointed panel and the senior police officers who are preparing a report,” the second officer added.

HT learnt that the information was passed on by DCP Mahla to senior officers, including Arora on March 15. In the absence of any clear instructions, the police personnel who visited the spot later vacated it, leaving behind other items,said the second officer.

A Delhi police team led by DCP Mahla inspected Varma’s house and the burnt store room, questioned staffers inside, and did videography of the area on Wednesday.