NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court was left reeling on Friday after reports surfaced on a large stash of cash allegedly found at the official residence of Justice Yashwant Varma. The discovery, which came to light following a fire at the premises, has sparked outrage, raising questions about judicial integrity.
Senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj, visibly distressed, urged the High Court to take swift and decisive action. Addressing a bench led by Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, he emphasised that the incident had deeply shaken the legal fraternity. Bhardwaj called for immediate safeguards to prevent such controversies in the future, stressing the need to protect the judiciary’s credibility.
Responding to Bhardwaj’s plea, Chief Justice Upadhyaya acknowledged the gravity of the situation, describing it as deeply troubling. His remarks reflected the growing unease within legal circles, where the discovery has sparked widespread outrage and disbelief.
As the controversy unfolded, the court master of Justice Varma’s courtroom announced around 11 am on Friday that his division bench would be on leave for the day. Urgent matters were redirected to another bench, fuelling further speculation about the gravity of the situation.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, has reportedly taken swift action. It has recommended Justice Varma’s transfer back to his parent Allahabad High Court. The collegium has also initiated a preliminary inquiry into the incident, underscoring the sensitivity and seriousness of the matter.
Justice Varma, a seasoned jurist with expertise in sales tax, GST, company appeals, and original side appeals, has had a distinguished legal career. Enrolled as an advocate on August 8, 1992, he was appointed an additional judge of the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014. He became a permanent judge on February 1, 2016, and was transferred to the Delhi High Court on October 11, 2021.
The incident has cast a shadow over the judiciary, with legal experts and members of the bar demanding transparency and accountability. Many have called for thorough investigations and reforms to restore public trust in the system.
Fire service report silent on cash recovery
What truly transpired behind the closed doors of Justice Varma’s residence on that fateful night? The fire report compiled by Delhi Fire Service casts a starkly different light on the matter. Nowhere in its precise documentation is there a whisper of cash discovery. Instead, the report narrates a simpler, more mundane sequence of events.
The DFS report, accessed by this newspaper, does not mention recovery of any cash, only documenting that the blaze broke out in domestic articles in the store room and no casuality was reported. As per DFS, the blaze at the Tughlaq Road residence was reported at 11:35 pm; two fire tenders raced to the scene. In half an hour, the blaze was controlled with fire officials classifying the incident as a “small fire.”
