The Supreme Court Collegium has reportedly initiated the process of transferring Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court following a controversy over the alleged recovery of a substantial amount of cash from his official residence.
The five-member collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, convened an urgent meeting to address the situation and decided to move Justice Varma out of the Delhi High Court.
The proposed transfer will take effect once the Central government approves the collegium's recommendation, which has not yet been officially sent. The collegium may also take further action if deemed necessary.
Meanwhile, Justice Varma, the second senior-most judge of the Delhi High Court, did not preside over court proceedings on Friday, a development that was communicated to advocates by his court master.
The controversy emerged after government officials reportedly informed the Supreme Court Collegium about the recovery of large sums of cash following a fire at Justice Varma's residence. The revelation led to discussions within the collegium, with some senior members advocating for stricter measures beyond his transfer.
According to reports, certain members believe that Justice Varma should be asked to resign, and if he refuses, an in-house inquiry could be initiated as per Supreme Court precedents.
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During a hearing in the Delhi High Court, a senior advocate raised concerns over the incident before Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, who acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating, "So is everybody. We are conscious of the..." indicating widespread concern within the judiciary.
Justice Yashwant Varma was born on January 6, 1969, and enrolled as an advocate on August 8, 1992. He was appointed as an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014, later taking oath as a permanent judge on February 1, 2016. On October 11, 2021, he was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court.
Following reports of the cash recovery, senior advocate Indira Jaising took to X (formerly Twitter), urging the collegium to disclose the exact amount recovered to prevent speculation.
The Supreme Court Collegium, after considering an adverse report about Justice Varma, formally recommended his transfer to the Allahabad High Court during a meeting on Thursday.
While the collegium has yet to upload its resolution to the Supreme Court’s website, sources indicate that the decision to transfer Justice Varma is not necessarily final and is part of a broader process.
A senior source quoted by ANI stated, "The transfer is not a finality, it's a process. In the interest of the institution, it's just a step. Further action if and as required in the future will be taken." As discussions continue, the legal community and judiciary await further developments, including whether additional measures, such as an in-house inquiry, will be initiated.
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