A fire at the residence of Delhi High Court Judge Yashwant Varma has led to the discovery of a substantial amount of cash, according to a report. Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, who heads the Supreme Court collegium, has ordered Justice Varma’s immediate transfer to the Allahabad High Court, his parent court.
Justice Varma was not in the city when the fire broke out at his official bungalow. His family members called firefighters and the police to control the blaze. After the fire was extinguished, officials reportedly found a large stack of cash in one of the rooms.
The discovery was documented, and senior police officers were informed.
Following the incident, senior government officials briefed the Chief Justice of India, prompting the Supreme Court collegium to convene an emergency meeting on Thursday.
During the meeting, the collegium unanimously decided to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court, where he was originally appointed before being transferred to Delhi in October 2021.
Some members of the five-judge collegium expressed concern that a transfer might not be a sufficient response given the gravity of the situation.
They suggested that Justice Varma should consider stepping down voluntarily. If he refuses, the collegium is reportedly considering initiating an in-house inquiry, which could lead to impeachment proceedings.
Under the Supreme Court’s in-house procedure established in 1999, when a complaint of misconduct is made against a sitting judge, the Chief Justice of India must first seek a response from the judge. If the explanation is deemed unsatisfactory, the Chief Justice can form a three-member committee consisting of one Supreme Court judge and two high court chief justices.
If the committee’s investigation yields credible evidence of wrongdoing, the matter may proceed to a formal impeachment process. As per Articles 124(4) and 217 of the Constitution, impeachment requires approval by Parliament.
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