Justice Yashwant Varma resigns amid cash controversy probe
Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court has resigned from his post amid an ongoing Lok Sabha inquiry into the alleged…
JUSTICE YASHWANT VARMA
Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court has resigned from his post amid an ongoing Lok Sabha inquiry into the alleged cash-at-home controversy. His resignation has been submitted to the President of India.
In his letter, he stated, “It is with deep anguish that I tender my resignation… with immediate effect.” A copy has also been sent to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. He added that he did not wish to burden the President with the reasons and called it an honour to have served.
Resignation During Ongoing Inquiry
The resignation comes while a Lok Sabha committee inquiry, initiated as part of a motion to remove him, is still in progress.
Last year, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla set up a three-member committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, to investigate allegations related to unaccounted cash found at Justice Varma’s official residence.
Inquiry Committee Details
The committee includes:
- Justice Arvind Kumar (Supreme Court)
- Justice Shree Chandrashekhar (Chief Justice, Bombay High Court)
- Vasudeva Acharya (Senior Advocate, Karnataka High Court)
The inquiry followed an impeachment motion signed by 146 Lok Sabha members.
The case relates to the discovery of a large amount of cash at an outhouse of Justice Varma’s residence in Delhi during a firefighting operation on March 14, 2025, when he was serving in the Delhi High Court.
Earlier In-House Probe
Following public controversy, then CJI Sanjiv Khanna formed an in-house panel of three judges. Justice Varma was later repatriated to the Allahabad High Court, and his judicial work was withdrawn during the inquiry.
The panel submitted its report in May, finding prima facie evidence of culpability. The report was forwarded to the President and Prime Minister after Justice Varma declined to resign earlier. The Supreme Court also made related documents public in the interest of transparency.
Legal Challenges Dismissed
The Supreme Court dismissed Justice Varma’s petitions challenging both the in-house inquiry and the recommendation for his removal. A later petition against the Lok Sabha inquiry committee was also dismissed earlier this year.
