Cash Found at Judge Yashwant Verma’s Home Prompts Transfer
The incident occurred on March 14, 2025, during the Holi festivities, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi.
NEW DELHI- A Significant controversy emerged within India’s judicial system following the discovery of a large amount of unaccounted cash at the official residence of Delhi High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma.
The incident, which unfolded during a fire emergency at his government-provided bungalow, has led to swift action by the Supreme Court Collegium, resulting in Justice Varma’s transfer back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court.
The incident occurred on March 14, 2025, during the Holi festivities, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi. At the time, Justice Varma was reportedly out of town, and his family members alerted emergency services, including the fire brigade and local police.
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While extinguishing the blaze, first responders stumbled upon a substantial amount of cash in one of the rooms. The discovery was documented by the fire personnel and police, who escalated the matter to senior authorities. The unaccounted nature of the cash raised immediate concerns, prompting the involvement of higher judicial and governmental bodies.
The exact amount of cash remains undisclosed, with sources indicating that no official estimate has been released. However, the scale of the find was significant enough to warrant urgent attention from the Supreme Court Collegium, chaired by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna.
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Upon receiving reports of the discovery through official channels, CJI Sanjiv Khanna convened an extraordinary meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium on March 20, 2025. The five-member Collegium, tasked with overseeing judicial appointments and transfers, unanimously decided to transfer Justice Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, where he had previously served before his appointment to Delhi in October 2021.
The decision was framed as a preliminary measure, with sources suggesting that further actions, including a potential in-house inquiry, are under consideration.
The Collegium’s response reflects the seriousness with which it views the incident. Some members reportedly argued that a mere transfer was insufficient, advocating for stricter measures such as seeking Justice Varma’s resignation or initiating formal proceedings to protect the judiciary’s credibility. As of March 21, 2025, Justice Varma has not publicly commented on the matter and is said to be “on leave,” with reports indicating he did not hold court on this date.
The discovery has sparked widespread concern within legal circles and the public. Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal described corruption within the judiciary as a “very serious issue,” calling for greater transparency in judicial appointments.
In the Delhi High Court, senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj expressed “pain and shock” over the incident, urging systemic reforms to prevent such occurrences. Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya acknowledged the shared sentiment, noting that the judiciary is “conscious” of the situation.
