The Delhi High Court has withdrawn the judicial work of Justice Yashwant Varma "with immediate effect" after allegations of a large amount of cash being found at his residence following a fire. The Supreme Court had previously uploaded an inquiry report, including photos and videos, regarding the allegations.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has reconstituted a three-member committee to investigate the potential removal of Justice Yashwant Varma following the recovery of cash from his residence. The committee has been granted a three-month extension.
High court judge Yashwant Varma has denied before the SC-appointed inquiry panel his involvement in the discovery of huge cache of burnt currency notes from a storeroom in his official residence. A fire broke out at the judge's official bungalow at 30 Tughlak Crescent on the night of March 14, leading the cash discovery.
The 56-year-old judge, enrolled as an advocate in 1992, was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad high court on October 13, 2014 and took oath as a permanent judge of that court on February 1, 2016.
The three-judge panel headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of the Punjab and Haryana High Court conducted the inquiry for 10 days, examined 55 witnesses and visited the scene of the accidental fire that started at around 11.35 pm on March 14 at the official residence Justice Varma, then a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court and now in the Allahabad High Court.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday Allahabad high court judge Yashwant Varma's plea seeking invalidation of a report by an in-house inquiry panel which found him guilty of misconduct in the cash discovery row.
The remarks were made by the bench which refused to agree with the submission made on behalf of Justice Varma that the deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha had no power to reject a motion and, under the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968, only the Speaker and the chairman have the power to accept or reject a motion against a judge.
A three-judge panel appointed by the Supreme Court of India has submitted its inquiry report to the Chief Justice of India on the cash discovery allegations against Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma. The panel, comprising Justice Sheel Nagu, Justice G S Sandhawalia, and Justice Anu Sivaraman, finalized its report on May 3. The report was submitted to the CJI on May 4 for further actions. The controversy was raised following a news report about the cash discovery row after a fire at Justice Varma's residence in Delhi on March 14. The report reportedly contains the findings of the panel into the alleged cash discovery row. Justice Varma has denounced any insinuation and said no cash was ever placed in the storeroom either by him or any of his family members.
The judges were inside the official residence of Justice Varma for around 30-35 minutes and apparently inspected the site, sources said.
Officials aware of the procedure to appoint and remove Supreme Court and high court judges pointed out that while defending his case before lawmakers in any of the House, Justice Varma can announce that he is quitting and his verbal statement will be considered as his resignation.
The Union government is considering an impeachment motion against Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma, who was indicted by a Supreme Court-appointed probe panel after burnt cash was found at his residence. The government is likely to consult with opposition parties before moving forward with the motion, which would require a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla admitted a notice for the removal of High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma and constituted a three-member committee to probe charges against him.
Officials aware of the procedure to appoint and remove Supreme Court and high court judges pointed out that while defending his case before lawmakers in any of the House, Justice Varma can announce that he is quitting and his verbal statement will be considered as his resignation.
Justice Yashwant Varma, a Delhi High Court judge, has been transferred to his parent Allahabad High Court amid a controversy surrounding the alleged discovery of a large sum of cash at his official residence. The Supreme Court Collegium recommended the transfer, stating it was separate from an in-house probe ordered by the top court into the alleged cash find. The incident occurred following a fire at Justice Varma's residence on Holi night, March 14. Justice Varma has vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged cash discovery, calling it a conspiracy to frame him.
Justice Yashwant Varma, embroiled in the cash discovery row following a fire at his residence, has been excluded from all administrative committees of the Delhi High Court. The committees were recently reconstituted, with all other judges, including the Chief Justice, included. Justice Varma was previously a member of several committees. His work was withdrawn following a directive from the Chief Justice of India, who has also ordered an in-house inquiry into the allegations.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) has condemned the "clandestine" manner in which Justice Yashwant Varma, who was transferred from the Delhi High Court amid cash-at-home allegations, was administered the oath of office. The HCBA, which had opposed the judge's repatriation, questioned why the oath was not notified to the Bar and alleged that the move has further eroded public trust in the judicial system. The HCBA has urged the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court not to assign any administrative or judicial work to Justice Varma. The incident of cash recovery has reignited debate over the issue of judicial accountability, with calls for stringent action to restore faith in the judiciary.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to hear a plea seeking a first information report (FIR) against high court judge Yashwant Varma in connection with the discovery of cash from this official residence in the capital.
The Supreme Court dismissed Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma's plea seeking invalidation of a report that found him guilty of misconduct in the cash discovery row.
A video and inquiry report have raised questions about the Delhi Fire Services' claim that no cash was found at the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma during a fire incident on March 14. The video, which has gone viral on social media, shows fire fighters dousing flames on articles that appear to include half-burnt Indian currency notes. The Delhi High Court Chief Justice has initiated an in-house inquiry against Justice Varma and the Supreme Court has proposed his transfer to the Allahabad High Court.
The Supreme Court questioned Justice Yashwant Varma's conduct regarding an in-house inquiry panel report that found him guilty of misconduct in a cash discovery row. The court raised concerns about his delayed challenge to the inquiry and the implications of the panel's recommendations.
The Supreme Court collegium has confirmed the transfer of Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court. This decision comes after an inquiry was initiated against Justice Varma regarding the alleged discovery of a large amount of cash at his official residence. The transfer recommendation was made public in a resolution uploaded on the Supreme Court's website. The alleged cash discovery occurred following a fire at Varma's residence in Delhi on March 14, 2025. The apex court collegium, headed by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has also constituted a three-member inquiry committee to further investigate the matter.
The Supreme Court addressed concerns about misinformation spreading related to an incident involving Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma. The court clarified that the proposal to transfer Justice Varma to Allahabad High Court was independent of an internal investigation into the discovery of a large sum of cash at his residence following a fire. The Delhi High Court Chief Justice is conducting the investigation and will submit a report to the Chief Justice of India today.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has assured bar leaders that he will consider their demand for withdrawal of the collegium's recommendation to transfer Delhi High Court's Justice Yashwant Varma. The decision came after representatives of six bar associations of different high courts met with the CJI and other collegium members. The bar associations are protesting the proposed repatriation of Justice Varma to his parent high court, alleging that the evidence in a fire incident at his residence was tampered with. The bar associations have also raised concerns about the non-registration of an FIR in the incident.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday underlined the government's resolve to take all political parties on board in moving an impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma, saying corruption in the judiciary cannot be approached through a 'political prism'.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has recommended the impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma following an investigation into a cash discovery incident at his residence. The recommendation follows a report by a Supreme Court-appointed committee that confirmed allegations of cash discovery against Justice Varma. The CJI's recommendation is based on the established in-house procedure for dealing with allegations against judges of constitutional courts.
A three-member panel led by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has been formed to probe the discovery of "four to five semi-burnt sacks" of Indian currency notes found after a fire at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. The incident, which occurred on March 14, has triggered an in-house inquiry, with the findings determining the judge's fate. The panel, consisting of Chief Justices Sheel Nagu (Punjab and Haryana), G S Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh), and Karnataka High Court judge Anu Sivaraman, will conduct a "deeper probe" into the allegations. Justice Varma has denied any knowledge of the cash being stored in the storeroom. The inquiry follows the Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya's report that recommended a deeper investigation. The top court's 2014 guidelines for in-house procedures for probing allegations against judges will be followed during the inquiry. The panel's findings could lead to either the removal of the judge, if the misconduct is deemed serious, or a reprimand. The inquiry will also determine if the fire was indeed a short-circuit as initially reported.
The Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna has ordered an in-house inquiry into allegations against a Delhi High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, after reports of burnt cash being found at his residence. The inquiry will be conducted by a three-member committee headed by Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The allegations stem from a report by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, who stated that four to five semi-burnt sacks of Indian currency notes were found at Justice Varma's residence following a fire. Justice Varma has strongly denied the allegations, calling them a conspiracy to frame him.
Legal experts have lauded Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna's decision to make public crucial documents related to a controversy surrounding the alleged discovery of cash from Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma's residence. They also welcomed the formation of an in-house committee to further investigate the matter. While some expressed concerns about the incident's impact on the judiciary's image, others emphasized the need for transparency and a fair inquiry. The Supreme Court released the inquiry report by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, which included photos and videos of the alleged cash discovery. Justice Varma has denied the allegations, calling them a "conspiracy to frame and malign him."
The Supreme Court of India has released an inquiry report into the alleged discovery of a large amount of cash at the residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. The report, which includes photos and videos, was uploaded on the court's website. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has formed an in-house committee to investigate the matter and has asked the Delhi High Court Chief Justice to not assign any judicial work to Justice Varma. Justice Varma has denied the allegations, claiming they are part of a conspiracy to frame him. The inquiry report, submitted by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice, has been made public and calls for a deeper probe into the incident. The incident has raised concerns about judicial accountability and has prompted the Congress party to call for strong measures to uphold public trust in the judiciary.
The Supreme Court collegium has initiated an initial inquiry against Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma following the alleged discovery of a large stash of cash at his official residence during a fire incident. The collegium has also reportedly recommended Justice Varma's transfer to his parent high court, the Allahabad High Court. The inquiry will involve seeking a report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court on the incident. The controversy surrounding the alleged discovery of cash was first reported by The Times of India. Justice Varma's proposed transfer is subject to the Centre's approval. The amount of cash found is not yet known. Justice Varma, currently heading a division bench dealing with sales tax, GST, company appeals and other appeals, did not hold court on Friday. Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya expressed shock over the incident. The collegium reportedly received information about the cash discovery from government officials. Some collegium members have called for stricter action against Justice Varma, including seeking his resignation or launching an in-house inquiry. The Supreme Court has an in-house inquiry mechanism to deal with allegations against judges, which involves forming a committee to investigate and, based on the report, take further action. A judge of a constitutional court can only be removed through impeachment by Parliament.
After the conclusion of the ceremonial bench proceedings, the CJI met journalists in the apex court premises and said,
Seventeen years after the cash-at-judge's door case rocked the judiciary, a special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Chandigarh on Saturday acquitted former Punjab and Haryana high court judge Nirmal Yadav and four others in the matter.
Some of his directives had the Supreme Court judges disclose their assets whereas the row over the discovery of cash from a sitting judge's official residence paved way for inquiry.
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