Cash-at-home row: police team visits Justice Varma's residence

New Delhi: In the matter of a large stash of cash found burning inside the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, who was removed from Delhi High Court following the incident, a police team visited the location on Wednesday and examined CCTV footage from the day of the incident. DCP (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla led the police team, and it reached the 30 Tughlak Crescent bungalow at around 1.30 pm before spending two hours there, The Indian Express reported.

According to TIE, the team, including Tughlak Road ACP Virender Jain and two head constables, visited the store room where the fire broke out and the lawn where certain charred items were placed. The team recorded videos of the premises, which had been “preserved” in the presence of a court official.

A senior police officer told TIE that the police team spoke with Justice Varma’s family members and staff, including his personal assistant, who alerted police first regarding the fire on March 14.

Further, sources told TIE that after the fire, police had made a daily diary entry at the Tughlak Road police station but were denied entry to the house the next morning by Varma’s security staff.

It was learned that police are trying to ascertain the cause of the fire, which is prima faciely suspected to be due to a short circuit. Police will seek a report from the power department as well as forensic experts as per protocol.

The Delhi High Court on Monday announced that judicial work from Justice Yashwant Varma, from whose official residence a large stash of cash was allegedly discovered after a fire, has been withdrawn with "immediate effect" till further orders. The announcement was made in a note issued by the high court, as reported by PTI.