CJI Khanna forms committee to probe allegations of cash discovery from Justice Varma’s home

Justice Yashwant Varma's residence.

Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma was on Friday at the centre of a huge row over reports of alleged cash discovery from his official home after a fire incident following which its chief justice initiated an in-house inquiry against him and the Supreme Court clarified the move to transfer him was not linked to the probe. After reports emerged that Justice Varma, 56, was being repatriated to Allahabad High Court in the wake of the alleged cash discovery, the Supreme Court came out with a clarification that the proposal to transfer him was «independent and separate from the in-house enquiry procedure».

Justice Varma, who is the second senior-most judge in the Delhi High Court, was appointed to the court on October 11, 2021.

The purported discovery of the huge stash of cash happened following a fire at Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence at around 11.35 pm on March 14, prompting the Delhi fire department personnel to rush to the spot and douse it. The quantum of the alleged discovered amount was also not known.

The incident created ripples in the legal circuit, with many voices calling for the judge's resignation. Some also criticised the move only to transfer him.

Live Events

Upon receiving the information about the incident, the apex court said, Justice Upadhyaya «commenced the in-house enquiry procedure collecting evidence and information».

Justice Upadhyaya was stated to have commenced the enquiry prior to the collegium meeting on March 20.

«The report will be examined and processed for further and necessary action,» the statement added.

The apex court said the proposal for transfer him was examined by the apex court collegium comprising the CJI and four senior-most