‘Deep Anguish’: Allahabad HC Judge Yashwant Varma Resigns After Cash-At-Home Row

New Delhi: Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, stepping down “with immediate effect” and citing “deep anguish” in his exit letter.

The resignation, dated April 9, 2026, marks the culmination of a prolonged episode involving allegations of unexplained cash recovery, internal judicial scrutiny and an ongoing impeachment process.

In his brief and restrained letter, Justice Varma said he did not wish to “burden” the President’s office with the reasons behind his decision. He described his tenure as an honour and formally stepped down from the Allahabad High Court.

A copy of the resignation letter was also sent to the Chief Justice of India.

The flashpoint: Fire and alleged cash discovery

The controversy dates back to March last year, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi during his tenure at the Delhi High Court.

During firefighting operations, large stacks of cash, some reportedly over 1.5 feet high, were allegedly discovered in a storeroom near the servants’ quarters. Visuals of burning currency bundles quickly surfaced, triggering a nationwide uproar and raising serious questions about probity in the higher judiciary.

At the time of the incident, Justice Varma and his wife were reportedly in Bhopal.

Inquiry, transfer & mounting pressure

In the immediate aftermath, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna ordered an in-house inquiry by a three-judge panel. Justice Varma was transferred back to the Allahabad High Court. His judicial work was withdrawn pending the probe. The inquiry committee later termed his conduct “unnatural”, drawing adverse inferences.

The panel’s report was subsequently forwarded by the CJI to the President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recommending further action, including the possibility of impeachment.

Varma’s defence: ‘Preposterous’ and ‘conspiracy’

Throughout the proceedings, Justice Varma denied any connection to the alleged cash, maintaining that no cash was recovered from his residence, he was not present at the time of the incident, allegations against him and his family were “preposterous” and the episode was part of a “conspiracy”.

He reiterated this stance in his written submissions before a parliamentary panel examining the case.

Impeachment process & its abrupt end

The controversy had escalated into a full-fledged constitutional process:

July 2025: Impeachment proceedings initiated

August 2025: Om Birla constituted a three-member probe committee

March 2026: Panel conducted day-to-day hearings

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju had confirmed the process was underway, with the government awaiting the committee’s findings.

However, with Justice Varma’s resignation, the impeachment proceedings will now come to an end, effectively closing the route of parliamentary removal.

What resignation means

The timing of the resignation carries significant implications. By stepping down before any formal removal by Parliament, Justice Varma retains eligibility for pension and post-retirement benefits, a successful impeachment would have stripped him of these entitlements.

Justice Varma had taken oath at the Allahabad High Court on April 5, 2025, following his transfer. His tenure there remained overshadowed by the ongoing inquiry and public scrutiny.

His resignation now draws the curtain on one of the most controversial judicial episodes in recent years.

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