Justice Yashwant Varma Takes Oath as Allahabad HC Judge, No Judicial Work Assigned Amid Cash Row
Justice Yashwant Varma on Saturday took oath as a judge of the Allahabad High Court following his recent transfer from the Delhi High Court. The development comes amid an ongoing controversy over the alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from his official residence in New Delhi.
The swearing-in ceremony took place in accordance with judicial protocol. However, in compliance with a Supreme Court directive issued earlier this week, the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court has been instructed not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma until further notice.
“The Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court for the time being has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Justice Yashwant Varma when he assumes charge as a Judge of the Allahabad High Court,” the Supreme Court stated in a press release.
The transfer and accompanying restrictions stem from an incident on March 14, when a substantial amount of cash was allegedly discovered at a room associated with Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi. The room in question, according to Justice Varma, was not directly part of the main household and had been accessible to various individuals.
In a detailed response submitted to the Delhi High Court, Justice Varma denied any wrongdoing. He explained that a fire had broken out in his storeroom on the night of March 14, prompting emergency evacuation of his family and staff.
“When the fire broke out around midnight, the fire service was alerted by my daughter and my private secretary, and their calls would be duly recorded,” he stated.
“After the fire was extinguished and they returned to the scene, no cash or currency was found on site,” he added.
Justice Varma’s defence emphasized that the room from where the cash was allegedly recovered was not under his direct supervision and that the household was not present at the time due to the emergency situation caused by the fire.
The controversy has stirred debate in legal circles, especially given Justice Varma’s previously unblemished track record during his tenure at the Delhi High Court. The decision to transfer him and bar him from judicial responsibilities for now appears to be a cautionary measure pending further inquiry.
No official investigation or inquiry committee has yet been announced by either the Delhi or Allahabad High Courts.
The Supreme Court’s intervention and the restrictions on judicial work signal a heightened focus on maintaining transparency and credibility within the judiciary.
Further developments on the case and any potential inquiries into the matter are awaited.
