The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court not to assign any judicial work to Justice Yashwant Varma when he assumes charge, following his repatriation from the Delhi High Court. This decision comes amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the alleged recovery of burnt wads of cash from his official residence in Delhi.
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On March 24, the Supreme Court collegium recommended Justice Varma’s transfer back to his parent cadre, which was later notified by the Law Ministry. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had already withdrawn all judicial work from him after receiving a directive from the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The government’s decision to transfer him was made public on Friday, marking a significant development in the case. However, the Supreme Court collegium clarified that his transfer was independent of the ongoing in-house investigation initiated by the judiciary.
Press Release By the Supreme Court:
The controversy erupted after authorities reportedly discovered a large amount of burnt cash at Justice Varma’s residence in Lutyens’ Delhi following a fire incident on March 14 at around 11:35 PM. The discovery of the charred currency raised serious concerns, prompting a probe into the source of the money and its potential implications. The matter gained further traction when photos and videos of the recovered cash surfaced online, fueling speculation about the nature of the case. The judiciary, however, has maintained that the in-house inquiry will determine the facts before drawing any conclusions.
To investigate the matter, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member committee to conduct an in-house inquiry. The Supreme Court also uploaded the findings of Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, which included visual evidence of the alleged cash stash. Meanwhile, the apex court rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an FIR against Justice Varma, calling the plea “premature” at this stage.
In response to the allegations, Justice Varma strongly refuted any insinuation of wrongdoing. He asserted that neither he nor his family members had placed any cash in the storeroom where the money was allegedly found. With the case now under scrutiny, the judge remains barred from judicial work until further notice, while the investigation continues to unfold.
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