Justice Yashwant Varma Under Investigation for Cash Found at Home
Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge who was recently transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, is under investigation following the discovery of a large sum of cash at his official residence in Delhi after a fire broke out there on March 14, 2025.
Discovery of Cash: During firefighting operations at Justice Varma’s residence at 30 Tughlak Crescent, witnesses—including fire and police personnel—reported seeing a large pile of Rs 500 notes, some of which were half-burnt, scattered on the storeroom floor.
Eyewitness Testimony and Evidence: The Supreme Court-appointed inquiry panel interviewed 55 witnesses, including Justice Varma’s daughter and private secretary. Visual evidence, such as photographs and videos, corroborated the presence of the cash.
Access and Control: The panel concluded that access to the storeroom was strictly under the control of Justice Varma and his family, with no evidence of outsiders entering without permission.
Conduct Deemed ‘Unnatural’: Justice Varma did not file a police complaint or inform judicial authorities about the cash, nor did any family member. The panel found his explanation of ignorance “unbelievable” and his behavior—such as quietly accepting his transfer—suspicious and contrary to expected conduct.
Removal of Evidence: There is strong inferential evidence that some of the burnt cash was removed from the premises in the early hours following the fire.
Panel’s Conclusions and Recommendations
Misconduct Established: The panel found “sufficient substance” in the allegations and determined that the misconduct was serious enough to warrant Justice Varma’s removal from office.
Impeachment Proceedings: Based on the panel’s findings, the Chief Justice of India recommended to the President and Prime Minister that impeachment proceedings be initiated. The government is expected to table a motion for Justice Varma’s removal in the upcoming session of Parliament.
Additional Details
Panel Composition: The inquiry was conducted by a three-member panel of senior judges: Chief Justice Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana High Court), Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka High Court).
Rejection of Conspiracy Claims: The panel rejected Justice Varma’s claim that he was unaware of the cash or that it could have been placed by someone else, citing lack of plausible explanation and the secure nature of the premises.
Implications: The incident has raised questions about judicial accountability and the processes for investigating allegations against sitting judges.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Incident | Large pile of cash found at Justice Varma’s residence after a fire on March 14, 2025 |
| Investigation | Supreme Court-appointed three-judge panel |
| Key Findings | Direct evidence of cash, control by Varma/family, suspicious conduct, removal of cash |
| Recommendation | Removal from office; impeachment proceedings to be initiated |
| Current Status | Awaiting parliamentary motion for impeachment |
Justice Yashwant Varma remains under scrutiny as the formal process for his removal is set to proceed in Parliament, following the damning findings of the inquiry panel.
