A fire at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma in Delhi led to the discovery of a large pile of unaccounted cash, prompting the Supreme Court collegium to order his immediate transfer. Justice Varma, who was not present at the time, was informed of the incident after firefighters extinguished the blaze and first responders stumbled upon the hidden cash. The shocking find raised suspicions of corruption, leading Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to convene an emergency meeting to deliberate on the matter.
Following the discovery, the collegium decided to transfer Justice Varma back to the Allahabad High Court, his parent court. His initial move to the Delhi High Court in October 2021 was reversed amid growing concerns over judicial integrity. However, some members of the collegium expressed dissatisfaction with the transfer alone, arguing that it might not sufficiently address the gravity of the situation. They emphasized that a mere relocation could undermine public trust in the judiciary, calling for stronger measures.
To ensure accountability, calls for Justice Varma’s voluntary resignation were made, with suggestions of a formal in-house inquiry if he refused to step down. Under the Supreme Court’s 1999 in-house procedure, the Chief Justice can seek an explanation from the judge, and if deemed unsatisfactory, form a panel for further investigation. The panel, typically comprising a Supreme Court judge and two High Court chief justices, would conduct a thorough probe into the allegations.
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