In the Justice Yashwant Varma cash row, the Supreme Court Collegium on Monday officially recommended the repatriation of the Delhi High Court Judge to the Allahabad High Court. The official statement is issued by the Collegium comprising CJI Sanjiv Khanna, Justice BR Gavai, Justice Surya Kant and Justice AS Oka.
The official statement issued by the court reads, "The Supreme Court Collegium in its meetings held on 20th and 24th March 2025 has recommended repatriation of Mr Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad."
Delhi HC withdraws work from Justice Varma
The Delhi High Court on Monday announced withdrawal of all judicial work from Justice Varma. The court issued a notice on its website announcing the development. A note attached to the causelist of the day on the high court's website said the court master of division bench-III, which was headed by Justice Varma, would assign dates in matters listed before Monday.
"In view of the recent events, the judicial work from Justice Yashwant Varma is withdrawn with immediate effect, till further orders," the note, with the registrar (listing) as the signatory, reads.
CJI constitutes 3-member committee
On Saturday, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member committee to investigate the allegations of large stash of cash recovered from his residence after a fire incident. The committee will be conducting an in-house inquiry into allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma.
The inquiry committee consists of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Justice G S Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, and Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the High Court of Karnataka. "The Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi for the time being has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Mr Justice Yashwant Varma. The Report submitted by the Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi, response of Mr Justice Yashwant Varma and other documents are being uploaded on the Supreme Court website," a statement from the top court said.
Cash-recovery row
A huge controversy erupted on March 14 when large sacks on cash were allegedly found at Justice Yashwant Varma's residence. A fire broke out at Justice Varma's Lutyens' Delhi residence at around 11:35 pm on the night of Holi, following this, the fire department personnel rushed to the spot and doused the flames.