Six Bar Associations meet Collegium, present list of four demands against Judge Yashwant Varma of Delhi High Court

On Thursday, six bar associations convened a meeting with the Supreme Court Collegium to voice their strong opposition to the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. The associations presented a set of four key demands, including an immediate cancellation of the transfer, a restriction on his judicial and administrative duties until further inquiry, and the initiation of a criminal investigation against the judge.

Anil Tiwari, President of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, stated that the Collegium, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, attentively listened to their grievances and assured them that their demands would be duly considered. However, Tiwari did not confirm whether the association would call off the ongoing general strike, which commenced on Tuesday in protest of the transfer.

Outlining the demands made to the Collegium, Tiwari explained, “Firstly, we demand that Justice Varma’s transfer be revoked. Secondly and thirdly, he should not be assigned any judicial or administrative responsibilities while the inquiry is pending. Finally, a criminal investigation should be initiated against him without delay.”

Despite the firm stance taken by the associations, Tiwari refrained from expressing dissatisfaction with the Collegium’s response. “If I were not satisfied, I would have stated so publicly. The Collegium assured us that each concern raised will be thoroughly examined. This is a significant statement coming from five senior judges of the Supreme Court,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Regarding the potential suspension of the strike, Tiwari clarified that the decision was not his alone. “A strike is a collective decision made by the 35,000 lawyers who form the General Assembly of the Association. As President, I must communicate the developments to them, after which they will decide on the next course of action. Our association understands its responsibilities towards the judiciary and the public. Since the Chief Justice has assured us of a forthcoming decision, I believe we should wait,” he added.

The controversy surrounding Justice Yashwant Varma stems from an incident at his residence, where partially burnt bundles of cash were discovered in an outhouse on the premises. The discovery was made after a fire broke out at his bungalow during Holi celebrations. Reports indicate that four to five bundles of burnt cash were recovered from the site.

Justice Varma has denied any personal or familial connection to the cash and has described the situation as a “conspiracy” against him. The Supreme Court, acknowledging the gravity of the situation and its potential impact on public trust in the judiciary, had earlier detached his transfer to Allahabad from the ongoing cash controversy. However, it has constituted an in-house inquiry committee to investigate the matter.

This committee comprises the Chief Justices of the Punjab and Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka High Courts. It was formed after a Delhi High Court report on the case was made public—an unprecedented move aimed at ensuring transparency in the judicial proceedings. The committee has already taken several actions, including sealing the outhouse where the cash was found and interviewing Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg, who had initially been quoted as saying that no cash was recovered. He later clarified that he had never made such a statement. Additionally, the committee has inspected Justice Varma’s residence in central Delhi.

Amidst these developments, the Supreme Court on Wednesday declined an urgent hearing for a petition seeking a transfer of the investigation to the Delhi Police. The petitioners also challenged the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court-appointed inquiry committee. The bench, led by the Chief Justice, stated that the plea would be heard but not on an expedited basis.

The incident has sparked political discussions, prompting the Union government to engage with various political parties to gather their views and concerns on the matter. With tensions running high in legal and political circles, the coming weeks will be crucial in determining the outcome of Justice Varma’s transfer and the broader implications for judicial accountability and transparency.