Justice Yashwant Varma was sworn in today as a judge of the Allahabad High Court, following his transfer from the Delhi High Court. His swearing-in comes amid a major controversy involving the recovery of unaccounted cash from his Delhi residence last month.
The transfer, approved by the Central Government on March 28, was recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium. It triggered protests from lawyers’ associations in Uttar Pradesh, who demanded that the transfer be put on hold pending an investigation.
IN-HOUSE INQUIRY INITIATED BY CJI
The issue came to light on March 14, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s residence in Delhi. During the firefighting operation, a substantial amount of unaccounted cash was discovered by firefighters.
At the time of the incident, Justice Varma and his wife were reportedly traveling in Madhya Pradesh. Only his daughter and elderly mother were present in the house when the fire occurred.
The discovery of cash led to allegations of corruption and calls for impeachment by certain quarters. In response, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna ordered an in-house inquiry on March 21, appointing a panel of three High Court judges to conduct the investigation.
Justice Varma has since denied any wrongdoing, stating that there may be a conspiracy to frame him. The Supreme Court also released the report submitted by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice, along with Justice Varma’s written explanation.
BAR ASSOCIATION PROTESTS AND TRANSFER OPPOSITION
Justice Varma’s transfer to the Allahabad High Court was met with strong resistance from both the Allahabad and Lucknow Bar Associations, who called for an indefinite strike opposing the decision.
The situation de-escalated after CJI Khanna instructed the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma until the in-house inquiry is completed.
“The Chief Justice of India has asked the High Court’s Chief Justice not to assign Justice Varma any judicial work for the time being.”
Following this directive, the Bar Associations suspended their strike on March 29.
JUSTICE VARMA ASSUMES POSITION WITHOUT JUDICIAL DUTIES
Despite the ongoing probe and protests, Justice Yashwant Varma formally took oath as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on April 5. However, in compliance with the Supreme Court’s instructions, he will not be allocated any judicial responsibilities until further notice.
WHAT LIES AHEAD
The in-house judicial inquiry is currently underway, and its findings will determine the future course of action regarding Justice Varma’s position. The judiciary has maintained that due process and transparency will be upheld throughout the investigation.
