A timeline of key developments
March 14, 2025:
A fire broke-out at about 11:30 pm in a storehouse near the office at 30, Tughlak Crescent, New Delhi, which is allotted to Justice Varma.
A PCR call was made at 11:43 pm by the Private Secretary to Justice Varma. No separate call was made to the fire department. Justice Varma was in Bhopal at the time. Justice Varma’s daughter and his aged mother were at the residence.
March 15, 2025:
A report was shared by the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, to the Chief Justice Upadhyaya on his WhatsApp.
This report stated that the cause of the fire prima facie was short circuit. The report also stated that four to five sacks containing remains of Indian currency were also found in the storehouse.
That same day, the Commissioner of Police also made a telephonic call to Chief Justice Upadhyaya informing him about the incident of fire. Chief Justice Upadhyaya was also not in town that day. He was in Lucknow.
Later that same day in the evening, Chief Justice Upadhyaya spoke to the Chief Justice of India. CJI Khanna asked Chief Justice Upadhyaya to find out the source from whom the PCR call was made.
Meanwhile, in the evening that day, Justice Varma returned to Delhi.
That same day, after Justice Varma had arrived the Registrar-cum-Secretary to Chief Justice Upadhyaya visited the place where fire had broken out. Justice Varma was also with him.
March 16, 2025:
The Registrar-cum-Secretary to Chief Justice Upadhyaya submitted his inspection report to Chief Justice Upadhyaya.
The report states: “It was informed to me by the Private Secretary that the room was being used as a store room to keep useless articles of the household and remained accessible to all as it was not kept locked. On reaching there, I found out that it was complete dark inside the room and the walls had developed cracks. We all took out our mobile phones and switched on the torch to have a look inside the room. We saw all the walls were blacked out due to fire and some material was hanging from the roof and half burnt articles were lying there and burnt articles/debris were lying on the floor. After spending 8-10 minutes in the room, we all came out”.
That day, the Commissioner of Police informed Chief Justice Upadhyaya that the PCR call was made by the Personal Secretary to Justice Varma and that he was informed about the fire by one of the servants placed at the residence of Justice Varma. It was also informed to Chief Justice Upadhyaya that the fire service was not informed separately, though once PCR was contacted the information relating to fire was automatically sent to the Delhi Fire Service.
The Commissioner of Police also informed that the storeroom is adjacent to the Guard Room where Central Reserve Police Force (Battalion 70F) is posted and that the storeroom used to be kept locked.
Further it was informed to Chief Justice Upadhyaya that as per the Security Guard posted at the residence of Justice Varma, some debris and half burnt articles were removed in the morning of 15.3.2025.
That day Chief Justice Upadhyaya reached Delhi in the evening and met CJI Khanna.
March 17, 2025:
Chief Justice Upadhyaya met Justice Varma in the morning at around 8.30 am at Delhi High Court Guest House where Chief Justice Upadhyaya is residing presently. Justice Varma responded by saying that in the room where the fire had broken out, only unusable household articles like furniture and mattresses were kept. He also said that the room was accessible to the servants, the gardeners and sometimes even to the CPWD personnel.
He also informed Chief Justice Upadhyaya that at the time of the incident, he was in Bhopal and got the information from his daughter. Justice Varma further told Justice Upadhyaya that at the moment, black burnt material (soot) was lying in the room.
This is when Chief Justice Upadhyaya showed Justice Varma the photographs and the video on his WhatsApp which were shared with him by the Commissioner of Police. Justice Varma then expressed apprehension about a conspiracy against him.
March 20, 2025:
Chief Justice Upadhyaya sent the photographs, the video and two messages to CJI Khanna in the morning.
It is pertinent that in the evening on this very same day the Collegium decided to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court. Chief Justice Upadhyaya also received a communication from CJI Khanna intimating the proposal to repatriate Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court to which Chief Justice Upadhyaya responded, on the very same day, stating that he agreed to the proposed transfer of Justice Varma since it was in the “interest of better administration of justice.”
March 21, 2025:
In the morning, the Times of India broke the story.
That day, Chief Justice Upadhyaya sent a letter to CJI Khanna. In his letter, besides narrating the above facts, he also mentioned: “On examining the incident reported, the material available and the response of Justice Yashwant Varma, what I find is that the Commissioner of Police in his report dated 16.3.2025 has reported that as per the guard posted at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, the debris and other partially burnt articles were removed from the room where the fire had broken out in the morning of 15.3.2025. The enquiry conducted by me, prima facie, does not reveal possibility of entry or access to the room by any person other than those residing in the bungalow, the servants, the gardeners and CPWD personnels, if any. Accordingly, I am of the prima faice opinion that the entire matter warrants a deeper probe.” (emphasis supplied)
That same day, CJI Khanna wrote back to Chief Justice Upadhyaya. In his letter, CJI Khanna asked Chief Justice Upadhyaya to ask Justice Varma to provide the following information:
How does Justice Varma account for the presence of money/cash in the room located in his premises?
Explain the source of money/cash which was found in the said room.
Who is the person who had removed the burnt money/cash from the room in the morning of March 15, 2025? (emphasis supplied)
CJI Khanna also asked Chief Justice Upadhyaya to ascertain the details of the official staff of the High Court Registry, the personal security officers and the security guards who have been posted at Justice Varma’s residence during the last six months. CJI Khanna also asked to request for the letter to be sent to the Mobile Service Provider(s) for providing call record details of the official or other mobile phone number(s) of Justice Varma for the last six months.
CJI Khanna also asked Chief Justice Upadhyaya to tell Justice Varma to not dispose of his mobile phone(s) or delete or modify any conversation, messages or data from his mobile phone(s). He accordingly sought a report from Chief Justice Upadhyaya along with the response of Justice Varma.
Later that day, Chief Justice Upadhyaya wrote to Justice Varma asking for the information desired by CJI Khanna from Justice Varma. Justice Varma was asked to respond in writing by 12 PM the next day, March 22.
