The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court. The decision, taken in meetings held on March 20 and March 24, was officially announced on Monday.
In its resolution, the Collegium said, “In its meetings held on 20th and 24th March 2025, it has recommended the repatriation of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad.” However, this recommendation has not been without controversy, as the Allahabad High Court Bar Association has raised objections against the decision.
Justice Varma has found himself at the center of a growing controversy after reports emerged about the alleged recovery of a large stash of cash from his official residence in Delhi. According to media reports, the incident came to light when a fire broke out at his home on March 14. Firefighters responding to the emergency reportedly discovered the hidden cash while attempting to douse the flames. Justice Varma was not present at his residence when the fire occurred.
Amid growing speculation and public scrutiny, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member inquiry committee to look into the allegations. The committee comprises Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court; Justice G.S. Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court; and Justice Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the Karnataka High Court.
Meanwhile, Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Upadhyaya has been directed not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma until further notice.
In response to the allegations, Justice Varma has strongly denied any involvement, claiming that this was a deliberate attempt to frame him and malign his reputation. He stated that neither he nor any member of his family had ever placed cash in the storeroom where it was allegedly found.
He also clarified that the room in question was an outhouse, separate from the main residence where he and his family live, further casting doubt on the allegations.
Even as the controversy continues to unfold, the Supreme Court has sought to distance the decision to transfer Justice Varma from the allegations against him. On Friday, the apex court dismissed any connection between the transfer and the alleged recovery of cash, maintaining that the repatriation decision was unrelated to the ongoing controversy.
(Inputs from ANI)
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