‘We Must Be Unsparing’: Vice President Dhankhar On Judge Cash Row

New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar called for a thorough police investigation into the discovery of unaccounted cash from the premises linked to Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, stating that no one other than the President and Governors while in office should be exempt from criminal scrutiny.

Speaking at a book launch event, the Vice President went beyond convention in pushing for judicial accountability, highlighting what he called a “serious issue” in the way the matter has been handled thus far.

Cash Recovery Sparks Nation-Wide Concern

The controversy dates back to March 14-15, when firefighters responding to a blaze at Justice Varma’s official bungalow during the Holi break discovered a stash of unaccounted cash in a store room near the gate. 

The incident, curiously, did not come to light for over a week, raising suspicions about deliberate silence within the system.

“The entire nation was worried,” said Dhankhar. “Just imagine how many such other incidents may have taken place of which we are not in the know.”

Dhankhar sharply criticised the in-house investigation process adopted by the judiciary, referring specifically to the 1991 Supreme Court judgment in K Veeraswami vs Union of India. This landmark case requires prior sanction to initiate criminal proceedings against sitting High Court and Supreme Court judges protection that Dhankhar now says could be shielding misconduct.

“This legacy system has become a liability. The judgment needs to be re-examined in light of evolving public expectations and transparency standards,” he said.

The Vice President also questioned the conduct of the three-judge in-house committee, particularly its reported move to recover electronic equipment from witnesses. “How could that be allowed?” he asked, calling it a procedural breach that demands answers.

He further added, “This issue for which people are waiting with bated breath—the money trail, its source, its purpose... Did it pollute the judicial system? Who are the bigger sharks? We need to find out. Already two months have gone by.”

Following the revelation, the Supreme Court Collegium transferred Justice Varma back to his parent court in Allahabad. However, despite the serious nature of the allegations and Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna’s strong reservations, Justice Varma has not resigned from office.