Fire at Delhi HC judge's bungalow leads to recovery of huge cash pile, Supreme Court transfers him
A fire that broke out in the residential bungalow of a Delhi High Court judge resulted in recovery of a huge pile of cash, forcing the Supreme Court collegium led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna to decide to transfer him to another HC.
FollowA massive fire that engulfed the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma not only brought firefighters rushing to the scene but also uncovered a huge pile of unaccounted cash hidden within the premises. The discovery forced the Supreme Court collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, to transfer Justice Varma to another High Court.
According to a report by Times of India (TOI), the judge was not in town when the fire broke out, leaving his family members to alert the fire department and police. Once the fire was doused, first responders stumbled upon a massive stash of cash hidden inside a room. The finding prompted officials to formally document the recovery, raising immediate suspicions of unaccounted wealth.
Supreme Court transfers Delhi HC judge
Local law enforcement quickly escalated the matter to their senior officers, who, in turn, briefed top officials in the government. The development soon reached CJI Khanna, who wasted no time in convening an urgent collegium meeting to address the matter.
In a unanimous decision, the collegium ordered Justice Varma’s immediate transfer back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court. Having moved to the Delhi High Court in October 2021, his return now comes under highly controversial circumstances.
However, the transfer alone did not sit well with some members of the five-judge collegium. They argued that such a grave episode, if dealt with merely through relocation, could cast a dark shadow over the judiciary’s integrity and erode public confidence in the institution.
Several members advocated for sterner action, suggesting that Justice Varma should be asked to step down voluntarily. If he refused, they insisted, an in-house inquiry should be initiated by the CJI.
Under the Supreme Court’s 1999 in-house procedure designed to handle allegations of corruption, misconduct, or impropriety against judges of constitutional courts, the CJI is required to seek an explanation from the judge in question upon receiving a complaint.
Should the response prove unsatisfactory, the CJI has the authority to constitute a probe panel comprising a Supreme Court judge and the chief justices of two High Courts to conduct a deeper investigation.
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