'Cash in kothi' case: Unidentified person seen near burnt currency
What's the story
A judges committee probing the "cash in kothi" case of Justice Yashwant Varma, formerly of the Delhi High Court, has spotted an unidentified person near the charred currency sacks. The panel believes this person may have worked with Justice Varma's staff to remove cash between 1am and 7am on March 15. The report states, "The photo shows a fireman standing at the entrance...and also making video...there is also an unidentified man on the right side."
Incident details
Panel notes these individuals tried to mislead investigators
The committee, which includes Punjab and Haryana Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh CJ G S Sandhawalia, and Karnataka HC's Justice Anu Sivaraman, noted that at the time of the fire incident at the storeroom, Justice Varma's daughter, ailing mother (who was not questioned by the panel), Karki and 'trusted' servants were present. The panel alleged that these individuals tried to mislead investigators despite clear evidence of illegal cash being present in the judge's home.
Denials and contradictions
Justice Varma's daughter's deposition statements scrutinized
Justice Varma's daughter, examined as Witness-54, was present during the fire. She, along with Karki and three domestic staff members, denied seeing any burnt cash inside the storeroom. The panel found their denials hard to believe, considering forensic evidence. The panel also scrutinized Justice Varma's daughter's behavior during the incident and her deposition statements, noting inconsistencies in her explanations about not recognizing Karki's voice in a video of burnt cash.
Staff scrutiny
Panel looked into how the domestic staff were recruited
The panel also looked into how the domestic staff were recruited by Justice Varma, noting their long association with him. They concluded that it wasn't surprising for them to deny everything and contradict themselves when confronted with evidence. The investigation is still ongoing as authorities try to piece together what happened during the incident at Justice Varma's residence.