Another revelation in Justice Yashwant Verma’s cash scandal, Supreme Court panel gets big proof
Justice Yashwant Verma Cash Case: An investigation by a special committee constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court in Delhi has held High Court judge Yashwant Verma guilty in the alleged cash scandal. The recovery of burnt bundles of cash in this case has shaken the entire judicial system. - justice yashwant varma and family had full active control of storeroom where burnt cash was found says supreme court panel
The investigation of a special committee formed on the orders of the Supreme Court in Delhi has held High Court judge Yashwant Verma guilty in the alleged 'cash scandal'. The recovery of bundles of burnt cash in this case has shaken the entire judicial system. The committee found in its investigation that the storeroom in which this burnt cash was found was under the complete control of Justice Verma and his family. This incident happened at his official residence in the capital's most posh area, Lutyens Delhi, at around 11:35 pm on March 14.
According to sources, the three-member committee has collected many evidences including electronic evidence in its investigation and has recorded statements of more than 50 people, including Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and the head of Delhi Fire Service. The report was finalised on 3 May, and in the opinion of the committee, the allegations are so serious that impeachment proceedings should be initiated against Justice Verma.
Justice Verma has rejected all the allegations in this case. The then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sanjeev Khanna, has sent a copy of the report and Justice Verma's reply to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Supreme Court administration has refused to give information about the report and the official discussions held on it under the RTI Act.
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The committee included Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court GS Sandhawalia and Justice Anu Sivaraman of Karnataka High Court. Following the committee's report, Justice Verma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, where he is currently not assigned any judicial work.
After the report was submitted on May 3, Justice Verma sent his reply on May 6.After this, on May 8, a statement came from the Supreme Court that under the in-house process, the report of the committee has been sent to the President and the Prime Minister.
This matter came into the limelight when a media report exposed the 'cash scandal'. After this, Chief Justice DK Upadhyay of Delhi High Court started a preliminary investigation and Justice Verma was removed from judicial work.
Now it will be important to see whether an impeachment motion will be brought in Parliament regarding this matter or Justice Verma resigns. Whatever happens, this matter will definitely give rise to a new debate on transparency and accountability in the Indian judiciary.