The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended repatriating Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court after unaccounted cash was discovered at his official residence. The decision, announced on March 20, comes amid growing calls for an in-house inquiry into the incident.
The money was found after a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s residence on Tughlak Road at around 11:35 p.m. on March 14. First responders, including Delhi Fire Services (DFS) personnel and possibly the police, discovered stacks of cash in the storeroom, some of which were reportedly charred. Justice Varma and his wife were in Bhopal at the time of the incident.
Justice Varma has strongly denied any connection to the cash, calling it a “conspiracy to malign” him. However, concerns over the matter led the collegium to recommend his transfer to the Allahabad High Court, his parent court.
During the deliberations, at least two collegium members argued that a mere transfer was insufficient. One judge suggested that Justice Varma be stripped of judicial work immediately, while another pushed for a formal investigation to uphold institutional accountability, according to a Hindustan Times report.
The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) has strongly opposed the transfer, questioning whether the Allahabad High Court was being treated as a “trash bin.” In a letter, HCBA stated that corruption was unacceptable and expressed its disappointment over the decision.
Amid the controversy, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna formed a three-member committee on March 22 to conduct an inquiry into the allegations against Justice Varma.
Justice Varma was first appointed as a judge at the Allahabad High Court in 2016 before being transferred to the Delhi High Court in 2021. Prior to his elevation, he served as standing counsel for the Uttar Pradesh government. The ongoing inquiry will determine further action regarding the case.