Centre Approves Justice Yashwant Varma’s Transfer to Allahabad HC Amid Cash Row
The Central government on Friday approved the transfer of Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court, following a Supreme Court Collegium recommendation amid a controversy over cash recovered from his residence. The decision, announced a day after the government hinted at a swift resolution, has sparked protests from the Allahabad Bar Association.
Justice Varma’s transfer comes in the wake of a fire incident at his Delhi residence last week, during which a significant amount of cash was reportedly found. The Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, recommended his repatriation to the Allahabad High Court, prompting the Delhi High Court to withdraw his judicial duties immediately.
The government’s approval directs Justice Varma to assume his new role at the Allahabad High Court in Uttar Pradesh, his parent court before moving to Delhi in October 2021.
Alongside Justice Varma, the Centre also cleared the transfer of Delhi High Court Justice Chandra Dhari Singh to the Allahabad High Court. The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended Singh’s repatriation in November 2024, a proposal pending for months. Like Varma, Singh was transferred to Delhi in October 2021.
The simultaneous approvals highlight the government’s action on long-pending judicial transfers suggested by the Collegium.
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The decision to transfer Justice Varma has faced strong opposition from the Allahabad Bar Association, which launched an indefinite strike. The association has declared it will not accept judges facing corruption allegations, labeling the move unacceptable.
Several other bar associations across India have echoed this sentiment, threatening nationwide sit-in protests if their demand to cancel Varma’s transfer is ignored.
Earlier this week, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna formed a three-member panel to investigate the cash recovery incident, which has sent ripples through legal circles. The probe aims to uncover the facts behind the cash found during the fire at Varma’s residence, an event that has raised questions about judicial integrity.
Justice Varma, however, has denied any wrongdoing, stating, “I am being defamed in the press,” and dismissing the allegations against him.
The cash row erupted after firefighters, responding to a blaze at Justice Varma’s Delhi home, reportedly discovered a large sum of money. The incident prompted swift action from the Supreme Court Collegium, which met on March 20 and 24 to recommend his transfer, a decision the Centre finalized on Friday.
The Delhi High Court registry acted promptly, stripping Varma of judicial work as the matter escalated.
With Justice Varma’s transfer now official, he is expected to take charge at the Allahabad High Court soon, though the ongoing probe may influence his judicial role. The Allahabad Bar Association’s strike and the three-member panel’s investigation will likely keep the spotlight on this case.
Updates on the probe’s findings and the bar associations’ next steps are awaited as the situation unfolds.
