Supreme Court Panel Uncovers Cash Hoard at Justice Verma's Residence

A Supreme Court-appointed panel has uncovered a significant amount of cash at Justice Yashwant Verma's residence, with eyewitnesses confirming the presence of 500-rupee notes. The judge's failure to report the incident has raised serious concerns about his conduct, leading to a recommendation for his removal from the Allahabad High Court. The investigation revealed inconsistencies in the judge's claims and highlighted the suspicious circumstances surrounding the cash's disappearance after a fire incident. This unfolding story raises critical questions about judicial accountability and integrity.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 19, 2025, 14:00 IST

Investigation Findings

A panel appointed by the Supreme Court has revealed that multiple eyewitnesses reported seeing a substantial pile of cash inside Justice Yashwant Verma's residence in Delhi. However, the judge failed to notify either the police or judicial authorities about the incident. The panel characterized his behavior as suspicious and recommended his removal from the Allahabad High Court.

According to the panel's findings, eyewitness accounts, along with video evidence and photographs, confirmed the presence of a large amount of cash, primarily in 500-rupee notes, in a storeroom at Justice Verma's home, some of which appeared to be partially burned. Despite this, neither the judge nor his family filed a complaint with the police or informed senior judicial officials.

Panel's Critique of Judge's Claims

The panel dismissed the judge's claims of ignorance as implausible. They questioned why, if a conspiracy existed, he did not report it to the Chief Justice of the High Court or the Chief Justice of India. The panel interviewed 55 witnesses, including Justice Verma's daughter, Diya Verma. Statements from fire and police personnel indicated that after a fire in March, a 'large pile' of 500-rupee notes was observed on the storeroom floor. One witness remarked that it was the first time they had seen anything like it. Domestic staff denied seeing any cash, but the panel found no reason to distrust the consistent statements from government officials.

Circumstances Surrounding the Incident

The storeroom where the fire occurred was reportedly under the exclusive control of the judge and his family. Following the incident, cash was allegedly 'missing,' and the room was cleaned up. The panel noted that Justice Verma's private secretary, Rajinder Singh Karki, allegedly instructed fire officials not to mention any cash in their report. Fire service officials also claimed they were asked not to pursue the matter further as 'higher officials were involved.'