NEW DELHI: A fire at the bungalow of Delhi high court Judge Yashwant Varma led to the discovery of large amounts of cash, sparking row and prompting the Supreme Court collegium to recommend his transfer. Justice Varma was out of town when the fire broke out, and his family called emergency services. After dousing the flames, firefighters found stacks of cash in a room, leading to official records of what appeared to be unaccounted money.
The issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha on Friday, with Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar announcing plans to consult parliamentary leaders for a structured discussion on judicial accountability. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who brought up the matter, also sought action on a pending impeachment notice against an Allahabad high court judge.
“This morning, we have read about a shocking case of huge amounts of cash unearthed at the residence of a judge of the Delhi high court. Previously, 50 members of Parliament had submitted a notice regarding certain remarks made by a judge of the Allahabad high court. You have yourself emphasised the urgency of judicial accountability,” Ramesh said in the Rajya Sabha.
He urged VP Dhankhar to take action, adding, “I request that you please make some observations on this and direct the government to propose measures for enhancing judicial accountability.”
In response, Dhankhar confirmed that he had received a representation from 55 members and was verifying the signatures. “A first mail was sent to all signatories, and most members have responded positively, assisting me in fulfilling my duty. However, some members are yet to respond, and a follow-up mail has been sent to them,” he said.
He also raised concerns about the authenticity of the signatures, saying, “One member’s signature appears twice, and the concerned member has denied signing it. I do not wish to speculate on the implications of this, but if the required number of signatories remains above 50, I will proceed accordingly.”
Dhankhar assured that the process would not be delayed, urging non-responding members to cooperate. He further stated that he would engage with the leader of the house and the leader of the opposition to explore a structured discussion during the session.
“If such an incident involved a politician, bureaucrat, or industrialist, they would immediately be targeted. A transparent, accountable, and effective systemic response is essential,” he said. He added that with both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition being heads of their respective parties, their input would help shape a meaningful discussion.
Meanwhile, a senior lawyer expressed “pain and shock” in the Delhi high court over the alleged cash recovery from Justice Varma’s residence. The judge did not hold court on Friday.
The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended transferring Justice Varma back to his parent Allahabad high court. “The Supreme Court Collegium met, and the CJI took note of the issue. The transfer is not a final decision but a step in the process. Further action, if required, will be taken,” ANI reported.
Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal weighed in on the matter, saying, “The issue of corruption within the judiciary is a very serious issue. This is not something that has been articulated by senior councils and lawyers in the country for the first time. It has been going on for years. It is time for the Supreme Court to start looking at issues of how the appointment process takes place. The appointment process should be more transparent and carefully done. Corruption is a very serious issue and despite what PM Modi has said, the corruption has increased.”
Dhankhar confirmed that if the verified signatories remained above 50, he would move forward with the impeachment process. He also noted that a second mail had been sent to non-responding members to avoid delays.
Justice Yashwant Varma, born in 1969, was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad high court in 2014 and became a permanent judge in 2016.
He was transferred to the Delhi high court in 2021. According to official records, he enrolled as an advocate in 1992.
