Justice Yashwant Varma cash row: In a recent development in the Delhi High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma cash row, the Delhi Police have seized the mobile phones of eight of their officers, including the Tughlaq Road police station Station House Officer. SHO Umesh Malik, along with the investigation officer, Head Constable Roop Chand, Sub-Inspector (SI) Rajneesh, and two police personnel who arrived at the spot on a motorcycle for patrolling, and three other PCR personnel, had their phones seized by the department.
The mobile phones of all eight police officers have been sent for forensic examination. The investigation is focused on determining whether any videos were recorded by these officers when they reached the scene during the time of the fire, and if any tampering with these videos was done or not. Additionally, the Delhi Police have also recorded the statements of all these police officers. The severity of the fire can be gauged from the fact that the walls of the room where the fire occurred have developed cracks due to the excessive heat.
Police team led by the DCP visited Yashwant Varma's residence
A team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) on Wednesday (March 26) visited the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma and questioned the staff and security personnel as part of an investigation into the alleged discovery of a cash pile at his residence. The police team, comprising six members, including DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla, an ACP and other officials, reached Justice Varma's residence at 30, Tughlaq Road bungalow at around 1:50 pm and left about two hours later.
The visit was part of an in-house inquiry by a three-judge panel constituted by the Chief Justice of India for a deeper probe into the discovery of four to five semi-burnt sacks of Indian currency notes in Varma's Lutyens home following a fire incident on March 14. The in-house committee went to Varma's residence on Tuesday and is said to have inspected the site. During the visit on Wednesday (March 26), the police questioned the staffers, security personnel and others who were present on the night of the fire to ascertain the sequence of events, sources said.
The sources said that the officials were accompanied by a videographer, and they inspected the outhouse where the alleged cash stash was found. The team also reviewed CCTV footage from cameras installed at the judge's residence and may question police and fire personnel who responded to the emergency call in the coming days, they said.
Justice Varma denied allegations
Justice Varma had said he was in Madhya Pradesh at the time of the incident. He has denied the allegations, saying that no cash was ever placed in the storeroom by him or any of his family members.