SC Collegium transfers Delhi HC judge Yashvant Varma back to Allahabad High Court
In a significant decision, the Supreme Court Collegium convened on Thursday evening and unanimously recommended the transfer of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma back to his parent Allahabad High Court. The decision came in light of an adverse report regarding the alleged discovery of a large sum of cash at his residence following a fire incident.
According to highly placed sources, the five-member Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, resolved to recommend the transfer after being informed about a video allegedly showing burning cash at Justice Varma’s residence. The exact amount of cash recovered remains unknown, but after a detailed explanation by the CJI, the Collegium members unanimously agreed that Justice Varma should be transferred.
The CJI had earlier sought a fact-finding report from Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya regarding the incident. The Collegium members emphasized the urgency of obtaining this report, as it would play a crucial role in deciding whether an in-house inquiry should be initiated against the judge.
Sources within the Delhi Police reported that the fire occurred on March 14 at approximately 11:30 PM. A call was received about a fire in a store room, following which two fire tenders were dispatched. The fire was minor and was brought under control within 15 minutes.
A Daily Diary entry was made at the Tughlak Road police station, but the official report did not mention any financial recovery. When questioned about the incident, Delhi Fire Chief Atul Garg stated that since it was a small fire, the department was still in the process of gathering details.
Justice Varma was not at home when the fire broke out. When the fire department and police arrived at the scene to extinguish the flames, they allegedly discovered a substantial amount of cash in one of the rooms. This finding was reported to senior police officials and subsequently to government authorities, who then notified the office of the Chief Justice of India.
In response to the revelations, CJI Khanna called an urgent meeting of the five-member Supreme Court Collegium on Thursday to deliberate on the appropriate course of action. The members expressed deep concern over the incident and unanimously agreed that Justice Varma should be transferred back to the Allahabad High Court.
Some Collegium members also suggested that an in-house inquiry should be conducted into the matter. However, the final decision on whether to initiate such an investigation rests with the Chief Justice of India.
As of now, the Collegium resolution regarding Justice Varma’s transfer has not yet been officially uploaded. Further developments on the inquiry and the judge’s transfer are awaited.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Friday stated that rumors were being spread regarding an incident at the house of the Judge compelling the collegium to transfer him.
