The incident occurred during the Holi festival period when a blaze broke out at Justice Varma's official bungalow. At the time, Justice Varma was not in Delhi; his family members, present at the residence, alerted emergency services. Firefighters and police responded promptly to extinguish the fire. During their operations, responders discovered a significant sum of cash in one of the rooms. This finding was officially documented by the authorities.
The discovery of the cash was promptly reported up the chain of command, reaching senior government officials who, in turn, informed Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna. In response, the Supreme Court Collegium convened an emergency meeting to address the situation. The Collegium, led by CJI Khanna, unanimously decided to transfer Justice Varma back to his parent High Court in Allahabad. Justice Varma had previously served at the Allahabad High Court before his transfer to the Delhi High Court in October 2021.
The Collegium's decision underscores the judiciary's commitment to maintaining integrity and public trust. While the transfer is an immediate measure, discussions within the Collegium also considered the possibility of requesting Justice Varma's resignation. Should he decline, there is a potential for initiating an internal inquiry, which could lead to further actions, including possible removal by Parliament.
Justice Yashwant Varma, born on January 6, 1969, in Allahabad, pursued his B.Com at Hansraj College, Delhi University, and later obtained an LLB degree from Rewa University, Madhya Pradesh. He enrolled as an advocate on August 8, 1992, and built a diverse practice at the Allahabad High Court, handling matters related to constitutional law, labour and industrial legislations, corporate laws, taxation, and allied branches of law. He served as the Special Counsel for the Allahabad High Court from 2006 until his elevation. In 2012, he was appointed Chief Standing Counsel for Uttar Pradesh, and in August 2013, he was designated as a Senior Advocate by the court. Justice Varma was elevated as an Additional Judge at the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014, became a Permanent Judge on February 1, 2016, and was transferred to the Delhi High Court on October 11, 2021.
The incident has raised serious concerns within the judiciary and the public regarding the conduct of judicial officers. The swift action by the Supreme Court Collegium reflects the institution's zero-tolerance policy towards any conduct that could undermine public confidence in the judicial system. As of now, Justice Varma has not publicly responded to the allegations or the discovery of the cash at his residence.