New Delhi
A petition filed in the Supreme Court has criticised the Centre and Delhi Police for failing to register a First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the alleged recovery of burnt currency from the official residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, following a fire incident in March.
The plea, submitted by advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, argues that the Union government—responsible for the Delhi Police—failed in its constitutional duty by not directing an FIR into the serious allegations. “When reports emerged of a large volume of burnt and partially burnt currency notes being recovered and removed from Justice Varma’s residence, the Centre was duty-bound to act. Its inaction amounts to a grave dereliction of its sovereign duty to uphold the law,” the petition states.
The Inquiry committee appointed by the Supreme Court had previously remarked that both the police and fire authorities were “slipshod” in their handling of the case. The report noted that no proper seizure memo was prepared and no FIR was filed despite the sensitivity of the incident, which took place between March 14 and 15.
The matter has now reached the apex court as public pressure mounts for accountability in the case. Justice Varma, who has since been repatriated to the Allahabad High Court and relieved of judicial duties, has maintained his innocence and is challenging the findings of the in-house inquiry committee. The case continues to spark nationwide debate on transparency and accountability in the judiciary and law enforcement.