A three-judge inquiry committee appointed by the Supreme Court has recommended initiating impeachment proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma, presently serving at the Allahabad High Court, after charred bundles of cash were found at his Delhi residence earlier this year.
The panel, comprising Chief Justices Sheel Nagu (Punjab and Haryana High Court), GS Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka High Court), submitted a 64-page report to the Chief Justice of India on 4 May, following a detailed probe involving 55 witnesses and the judge’s own deposition. The contents of the report became public on Thursday.
According to the report, “This committee holds the money/cash was found in the storeroom located within the premises of 30 Tughlaq Crescent... officially occupied by Justice Varma.”
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The second key finding notes, “Access to the storeroom was with Justice Varma and his family members, and (was) well-monitored without any outsiders getting access without permission.”
Based on these findings, the panel concluded that sufficient grounds existed to seek the removal of Justice Varma through impeachment proceedings.
The recovery of burnt currency notes followed a fire at the judge’s official residence in March, while he was still serving on the bench of the Delhi High Court. The cash, found in multiple sacks in the outhouse, drew sharp reactions from legal associations and civil society groups alike. Shortly after the incident, Justice Varma was transferred to the Allahabad High Court—a move that drew criticism for what many perceived as institutional leniency.
Justice Varma, for his part, has denied any connection with the seized cash. In a formal response to Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya, he claimed, “Neither I nor any member of my family placed any money in the storeroom.” He further alleged that the charges were an attempt to frame and defame him.
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