Investigation of Justice Yashwant Varma Case: Supreme Court Fails to Write Correct English

There are numerous English mistakes in the document released by the Supreme Court of India to investigate the alleged allegations of a corruption scandal involving Justice Yashwant Varma.

By Rakesh Raman

In the cash-at-home case of Justice Yashwant Varma, the Supreme Court of India released a 25-page press release on 22 March 2025 to inform about the constitution of a three-member committee to investigate the alleged corruption scandal.

As usual, the Supreme Court document is full of language mistakes which make the document completely vague. Surprisingly, the investigating committee will have to rely on this sketchy account of the incident to give its verdict, which is likely to be flawed.

It is observed that almost all lawyers and judges in all courts of India are not quite comfortable in the use of English in their official work because they lack English language skills. The research report “Risks of English Language Limitations in Indian Judiciary” reveals that the Indian courts are not yet fully prepared for the use of the English language, although it is mandatory to use English in higher courts.

The defective working of Indian courts is described in the “India Judicial Research Report 2024. Decline of the Indian Judiciary.” You can click here to download and read the report.

Here are some of the mistakes in the 25-page Supreme Court document.

Incorrect Sentence: “…I also called for certain other informations from him…”

Correct Sentence: “…I also called for certain other information from him…”

Incorrect Sentence: “…PCR call was made by Personal Secretary to Justice Yashwant Varma from mobile number which is registered in the name of the High Court of Delhi and that the Personal Secretary to Justice Yashwant Varma was informed about the fire by one of the servants placed at the residence of the Hon’ble Judge. It has also been informed 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 has also informed that the store room is adjacent to the Guard Room where Central Reserve Police Force (Battalion 70F) is posted and that the store room used to be kept locked. I have also been informed that as per the Security Guard posted at the residence of the Hon’ble Judge, some debris and half burnt articles were removed in the morning of 15.3.2025.” 

Correct Sentence (example of one possible correction for clarity): “…The Personal Secretary to Justice Yashwant Varma made the PCR call from a mobile number registered to the High Court of Delhi. The Personal Secretary was informed about the fire by a servant at the Hon’ble Judge’s residence. We are also informed that although the Delhi Fire Service was not contacted separately, they were automatically notified when the PCR was contacted. The Commissioner of Police also informed us that the storeroom is next to the Guard Room where the Central Reserve Police Force (Battalion 70F) is stationed and that the storeroom was usually locked. Furthermore, we are informed by the Security Guard at the Hon’ble Judge’s residence that some debris and half-burnt articles were removed on the morning of 15 March 2025.” (This correction addresses the run-on nature and improves flow).

Incorrect Sentence: “…accordingly, visited the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma and on reaching there, he called Private Secretary to Justice Yashwant Varma to come out of the bungalow. came out and took to Justice Yashwant Varma who was sitting in hisoffice.” 

Correct Sentence: “…accordingly visited the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, and on reaching there, he called the Private Secretary to Justice Yashwant Varma to come out of the bungalow. The Private Secretary came out and took me to Justice Yashwant Varma, who was sitting in his office.”

Incorrect Sentence: “…useless articles of household and remain accessible to all and was not kept locked.” 

Correct Sentence: “…useless articles of household and remained accessible to all and was not kept locked.”

Incorrect Sentence: “¿ spent about 8-10 minutes in the room and thereafter came out.” 

Correct Sentence: “I spent about 8-10 minutes in the room and thereafter came out.” (Assuming ‘¿’ was a typo for ‘I’).

Incorrect Sentence: “…prima faice opinion that the entire matter warrants a deeper probe.” 

Correct Sentence: “…prima facie opinion that the entire matter warrants a deeper probe.”

Incomplete Sentence: “Under directions of Hon’ble the Chief Justice, I visited the official residence of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma at 30, Tughlak Crescent, New Delhi on 15.3.2025 at around 9.10 pm. On reaching there, I called Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Judge, who was requested by me to come” 

Correct Sentence (example): “Under the directions of the Hon’ble Chief Justice, I visited the official residence of Hon’ble Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma at 30, Tughlak Crescent, New Delhi on 15.3.2025 at around 9.10 pm. On reaching there, I called the Private Secretary to the Hon’ble Judge, requesting him to come to the bungalow.”

Incorrect Sentence: “On reaching there, I found out that it was complete dark inside the room and the walls had developed cracks.” 

Correct Sentence: “On reaching there, I found out that it was completely dark inside the room and the walls had developed cracks.”

Incorrect Word: “On reaching the sport, he found out that there was complete dark inside the room…” 

Correct Word: “On reaching the spot, he found out that there was complete dark inside the room…”

Awkward Phrasing: “…and that he was informed about the fire by one of the servants placed at your residence. He also informed me that the store room is adjacent to the guard room where Central Reserve Police Force (Battalion 70F) is posted and that the store room used to be kept locked.” 

Improved Phrasing: “…and that a servant at your residence informed him about the fire. He also informed me that the storeroom is adjacent to the guard room where the Central Reserve Police Force (Battalion 70F) is stationed, and that the storeroom was usually locked.”

Typo: “Hon ‘ble” Correct: “Hon’ble”

Typo: “Delbi” Correct: “Delhi“

Awkward Phrasing: “…Private Secretary and whose calls would be duly recorded.”

Improved Phrasing: “…Private Secretary, and their calls would be duly recorded.” or “…Private Secretary; their calls would be duly recorded.”

Awkward Phrasing: “…no currency was either found nor was any cash in any state seen present on site.” 

Improved Phrasing: “…no currency was found, nor was any cash seen on site in any form.”

Awkward Phrasing: “This also stands corroborated from the report of which has been provided to me.” 

Improved Phrasing: “This is also corroborated by the report that has been provided to me.”

Grammatical Error: “It was the lack of knowledge of connection with the purported discovery of currency is what prompted my reaction…” 

Correct: “It was the lack of knowledge of the connection with the purported discovery of currency that prompted my reaction…” or “It was the lack of knowledge of the connection with the purported discovery of currency which prompted my reaction…”

Awkward Phrasing: “…quite apart from we being not apprised of any recovery or seizure which was made on the spot.” 

Improved Phrasing: “…and we were not apprised of any recovery or seizure made on the spot.”

Awkward Phrasing and Missing Punctuation: “I wonder who would countenance an allegation that currency would be kept in a storeroom in a corner of the house and which is freely accessible from amongst others the back wicker gate” 

Improved Phrasing: “I wonder who would believe an allegation that currency would be kept in a storeroom in a corner of the house, which is freely accessible from, among other places, the back wicker gate?”

Grammatical Error and Awkward Phrasing: “Neither I nor any of my family members had any knowledge of cash nor does it have any bearing or relation with me or my family.” 

Correct: “Neither I nor any of my family members had any knowledge of any cash, nor does it have any bearing on or relation to me or my family.”

Comma Splice: “…15 March 2025 Therefore, the question of its alleged removal is not known to us.” 

Correct: “…15 March 2025. Therefore, the question of its alleged removal is not known to us.”

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and some instances involve stylistic choices or minor awkwardness rather than clear grammatical errors. The Supreme Court document is mostly vague and has not been written in a professional manner.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.