New Delhi: The transfer of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma—whose residence was recently found to contain a significant amount of unaccounted cash—is not the ‘final step,’ sources told NDTV. The Supreme Court has initiated a preliminary inquiry into the matter.
Depending on the findings, the 56-year-old judge may be asked to resign or could face removal by Parliament under Article 124 (4) of the Constitution. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has sought a report from Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and has briefed fellow Supreme Court judges.
Calls for a deeper probe have come from lawyers, including Supreme Court advocates, as well as the opposition Congress and legal experts, who argue that merely transferring Justice Varma is insufficient.
The Congress particularly emphasised his role in high-profile cases like the Unnao rape case, stressing the need to determine the origin and purpose of the seized cash, the report said.
Justice Varma, who has yet to comment and is currently on leave, is set to be transferred to his parent High Court in Allahabad, pending central approval. However, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association has strongly opposed the move, questioning whether their court was being treated as a “trash bin” in a letter to its Chief Justice.
The controversy erupted during Holi when firefighters extinguishing a blaze at Justice Varma’s Delhi residence discovered the cash stash and alerted authorities. The Supreme Court Collegium, upon being informed, took the matter seriously and unanimously decided on his transfer.
Concerns about corruption within the judiciary have been raised, with senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Indira Jaising urging the Collegium to address the issue transparently. Jaising also stressed the need for full disclosure regarding the amount recovered.
The issue has reached Parliament, where Congress MP Jairam Ramesh called for a response from Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar. Dhankhar expressed concern over the delay in uncovering the matter and called for a systemic, transparent, and accountable response.
