Justice Varma's defence in plea rests on proof of money stash

"Show me the money." That immortal pop-history line forms a pillar in the defence of Justice Yashwant Varma, according to people familiar with the matter and excerpts from the 55-year-old judge's submission to the committee set up by the then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to look into the allegation that a huge amount of cash was discovered in his house.

- Sunetra Choudhury

NEW DELHI: "Show me the money". That immortal pop-history line forms a pillar in the defence of Justice Yashwant Varma, according to people familiar with the matter and excerpts from the 55-year-old judge's submission to the committee set up by the then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to look into the allegation that a huge amount of cash was discovered in his house. HT reviewed parts of the judge's submission.

Two months after a mysterious fire broke out in an outhouse at the residence of Varma, then a Delhi High Court judge, the money remains at the heart of the arguments of both sides. While the committee's report, submitted to the CJI on May 4, has not been made public, parts of it have been reported in the media, citing people familiar with the contents. These claim that on the day following the fire on March 14, there was a clean-up exercise, with the contents from the outhouse being moved by unknown individuals.

Justice Varma's defence, on the basis of the details shared by people familiar with the matter and the excerpts seen by Hindustan Times, would appear to be that there was no money at all.