Delhi HC Chief Justice submits report in Justice Yashwant Verma case, now CJI will take further action

New Delhi: Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, who is investigating the case of alleged recovery of cash from Justice Yashwant Verma’s official bungalow, has submitted his report to Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjeev Khanna. CJI will take further action on the basis of this investigation report. Senior judge of Delhi High Court Yashwant Verma came into the limelight when news of large amount of cash being found from his official residence came to light.

In fact, on March 14, on the night of Holi, a fire broke out in Justice Verma’s official residence in Lutyens Delhi. Justice Yashwant Verma was not at home then and had gone out of Delhi for some work. His family members sought help from the fire brigade to extinguish the fire. Delhi Fire Department immediately sent a team to the judge’s house. After this, reports came in the media that a large amount of cash was seen in Justice Verma’s official bungalow while extinguishing the fire.

Justice Yashwant Verma transferred to Allahabad High Court
Meanwhile, on March 20, Supreme Court Chief Justice Sanjeev Khanna called a meeting of the Collegium. In this meeting, a proposal was brought to transfer Justice Verma to Allahabad High Court. Also, the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court was entrusted with the investigation of this matter. The decision on Justice Verma’s transfer is to be taken on the basis of this investigation report. However, a new twist came in the case when Delhi Fire Brigade Chief Atul Garg claimed that the firefighters did not find any cash while extinguishing the fire at Justice Yashwant Verma’s residence.

Delhi Fire Department denies finding cash
Atul Garg said, ‘At 11.35 pm on March 14, the control room received information about a fire at Justice Verma’s residence. Two fire engines were immediately sent to the spot. The fire engines reached the spot at 11.43 pm. The fire broke out in a store room filled with stationery and household items, which took 15 minutes for the firefighters to control. Immediately after extinguishing the fire, we informed the police about the incident. Our firefighters did not find any cash while extinguishing the fire.’

Justice Yashwant Verma did not reach the Delhi High Court on Friday and neither did he deny the allegations against him. Justice Verma is currently presiding over the bench hearing important cases like sales tax, GST, company appeals in the Delhi High Court. He is the second most senior judge of the court. Justice Yashwant Verma was appointed to the Delhi High Court on October 11, 2021.

Opposition to Justice Verma’s transfer to Allahabad High Court
Meanwhile, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association has opened a front against the transfer of Justice Yashwant Verma from Delhi High Court to Allahabad High Court. Bar Association President Anil Tiwari said, ‘Allahabad High Court is not a garbage house or a den of corruption, where a judge accused of any corruption should be transferred. This decision of the Supreme Court Collegium shows the intention to break the Allahabad High Court, but the Bar Association will never allow this to happen. His duty is to maintain the confidence of the general public in the judiciary.