Shocking revelations in the report of the internal investigation committee, what is the evidence regarding the money?
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A large amount of burnt notes were recovered from Justice Yashwant Verma’s official residence in Delhi after a fire broke out in March. The Supreme Court had constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the matter. This inquiry committee included Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia of Himachal Pradesh High Court and Judge Anu Sivaraman of Karnataka High Court. This inquiry committee submitted its report to the then Chief Justice Justice Sanjeev Khanna on May 4. Which Justice Khanna sent to the Prime Minister and the President. The inquiry committee made many shocking revelations in its report, the information of which has come to the fore.
Major action recommended against Justice Verma
Major action has been recommended against Justice Yashwant Verma, former judge of Delhi High Court and now working in Allahabad High Court. The inquiry committee constituted by the Supreme Court has said in its report that Justice Verma and his family had ‘direct control’ over the large amount of half-burnt cash found in his official bungalow in Delhi. On this basis, the committee has recommended his dismissal.
The incident started with a minor fire
The case began at 11:35 pm on March 14, when a fire broke out in Judge Verma’s official residence (30 Tughlaq Crescent) located in Delhi’s Lutyens Zone. Firefighters and police doused the fire, but when they went inside, they found a large amount of half-burnt ₹500 notes lying there. Many eyewitnesses expressed surprise at seeing this and said that this was the first time in their lives that they had seen so much cash together.
What did the report say?
- The cash was found in the store room of Justice Verma’s official bungalow.
- The store room was found to be in direct control of Verma and his family.
- The removal of the cash on the morning of March 15, after the fire broke out at night, was proved by strong circumstantial evidence.
- The report said that the explanations given by Justice Verma, such as CCTV surveillance and security controls, were found to be unbelievable.
Comments on the role of the family
The report also questioned the testimony of his daughter, in particular. The committee said that her daughter is a self-confident, educated, independent woman, and her statement that she was completely nervous does not seem credible.
Three main questions that were investigated
- How did the cash reach the store room of the bungalow?
- What was the source of the cash?
- Who removed it from there on the morning of March 15?
What was said about the dignity of the judge?
The report referred to the Supreme Court’s 1997 value of judicial life and said that judges are expected to have very high ethical standards. Honesty and character are the foundation of the judiciary. Public trust is the real power of the judicial post.
What will happen next in the case?
On the basis of the Supreme Court’s recommendation, former CJI Sanjeev Khanna has written a letter to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he has recommended the constitutional process to remove Justice Yashwant Verma. If Parliament approves this recommendation, Justice Yashwant Verma will be among the few judges in the country against whom such constitutional action has been taken.
