A three-member in-house committee of the Supreme Court has submitted its report to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, finding credibility in the allegations regarding the recovery of unaccounted cash from the official residence of Justice Yashwant Varma. The investigation was triggered after a fire incident at his Delhi home on March 14 allegedly led to the discovery of large bundles of cash, footage of which was reportedly circulated among senior members of the judiciary.
The committee — comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court — was formed on March 22. After weeks of inquiry, including statements from Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg, fire officials, and security personnel, the panel submitted its findings on May 4.
According to sources cited by Bar and Bench, the report has effectively indicted Justice Varma, who is currently serving at the Allahabad High Court. In line with internal procedures, CJI Khanna has shared the report with him and offered the option to voluntarily resign. “If he resigns, it is good. If not, the report will be forwarded to the President, recommending impeachment,” a source familiar with the developments said.
The matter has been actively discussed among Supreme Court judges ahead of proceedings on May 5. Justice Varma has been given until Friday, May 9, to submit his response.
Earlier, Justice Varma denied the presence of any cash, asserting in a conversation with Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya that no money was shown to the staff at his residence. He described the allegations as a possible conspiracy to malign his reputation.
Following the commencement of the inquiry, the Supreme Court temporarily withdrew his judicial duties. With CJI Khanna set to retire on May 13, the timeline for any decisive institutional action remains narrow.
This case has added fresh urgency to ongoing discussions about transparency and accountability within the higher judiciary, coming just as the Supreme Court has made judges’ asset declarations and appointment procedures public.
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