THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, March 21: A major controversy has erupted following a fire at the official bungalow of Delhi High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, last week. During the firefighting operation, a large amount of cash was recovered from the bungalow.
In response, the Supreme Court Collegium took immediate action and decided to transfer Justice Varma back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court. The incident occurred on the night of March 14, when Justice Varma was not present at home.
The Supreme Court has launched an investigation into allegations against Justice Varma. The court has asked a report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court on the issue.
Large Cash Recovery Raises Alarm
According to an NDTV report, a fire broke out at Justice Yashwant Varma’s official bungalow in Delhi on March 14 during the Holi holidays. Firefighters and police arrived at the scene and managed to control the blaze.
While extinguishing the fire, they discovered a large amount of cash in one of the rooms. Sources indicate that the amount was unusually high, prompting immediate reporting to senior officials and the top levels of the judiciary.
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Supreme Court Collegium Takes Swift Action
Given the gravity of the situation, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna convened an emergency meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium.
In this meeting, all five members—CJI Sanjiv Khanna, Justice B.R. Gavai, Justice Surya Kant, Justice Abhay S. Oka, and Justice Vikram Nath—unanimously decided to transfer Justice Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court.
Sources indicate that some Collegium members felt that a mere transfer was not enough and that stricter action was necessary to safeguard the integrity of the judiciary.
Justice Varma’s Background and Career
Justice Yashwant Varma was born on January 6, 1969, in Allahabad. He earned a B.Com (Honors) degree from Hansraj College, Delhi University, and an LL.B. from Rewa University in Madhya Pradesh.
After beginning his legal career in 1992, he actively practised at the Allahabad High Court, handling constitutional, labour, industrial, and corporate law cases.
In October 2014, he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court and became a Permanent Judge in February 2016. He was transferred to the Delhi High Court in October 2021.
