How a Massive Fire at Delhi HC Judge’s Home Exposed Hidden Cash, Leading to His Transfer

New Delhi:  A fire, piles of cash, and a scandal have led to the transfer of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma back to the Allahabad High Court.

The controversy erupted after a large amount of unaccounted cash was recovered from Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi last week. The revelation sent shockwaves through judicial circles, prompting the Supreme Court collegium, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, to unanimously agree on his transfer to the Allahabad High Court.

When the fire broke out last week, Justice Varma was on “leave” for the Holi vacation. His family members alerted the fire brigade and police. Once the fire was doused, responders discovered a large stash of cash inside his room.

Following the discovery, local police briefed higher authorities. Reports suggest that certain senior collegium members pushed for stricter action against Justice Varma, arguing that a mere transfer would damage the judiciary’s credibility.

The collegium members reportedly demanded that Justice Varma either resign or face removal. If he refused, they suggested that an in-house inquiry should be initiated by the CJI.

Judiciary Reacts to the Scandal

Expressing shock over the incident, Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya said the revelation had “demoralized everyone.”

He stated, “This incident has pained us deeply. Please take administrative steps to prevent such incidents in the future and uphold the integrity of the judicial system.”

Justice Upadhyaya also emphasized the judiciary’s shaken morale, adding, “We respect the system immensely. Each of the judges is highly regarded. We are shaken, my lords, and demoralized. I am sure I speak for many of my colleagues. Please take steps to ensure such incidents do not occur again.”

The Supreme Court collegium reportedly acted swiftly after being informed by government officials about the cash recovery at Justice Varma’s residence following the fire.

Who is Justice Yashwant Varma?

Born on January 6, 1969, Justice Yashwant Varma is the second senior-most judge of the Delhi High Court. He was heading a division bench that dealt with cases related to sales tax, GST, company appeals, and other matters.

According to the news agency PTI, he enrolled as an advocate on August 8, 1992. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014, and became a permanent judge on February 1, 2016. On October 11, 2021, he was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court.