Supreme Court Dismisses Justice Varma’s Plea in Cash Scandal, Paves Way for Impeachment
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a plea by Justice Yashwant Varma challenging an in-house inquiry report that recommended his removal from office after a large stash of cash was discovered at his residence earlier this year. The verdict clears the path for Parliament to move forward with impeachment proceedings against the judge.
A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih upheld the legality of the internal inquiry, finding that the formation of the in-house committee and the procedure it followed were not illegal. Justice Varma had challenged the inquiry’s findings and the subsequent recommendation from the then Chief Justice of India to the President to initiate his removal.
The Supreme Court found no fault in the process, stating, “The CJI and the in-house committee scrupulously followed the process.” The bench noted that while photos and videos from the inquiry were not uploaded, this was not a requirement and had not been challenged by the petitioner at the time.
Furthermore, the court ruled that the CJI’s communication with the Prime Minister and the President regarding the matter was not unconstitutional. “We have held that CJI sending letter to the Prime Minister and President was not unconstitutional,” the court observed.
While dismissing the petition, the bench left the door open for Justice Varma to raise further legal challenges if needed in the future, even as the focus now shifts to the potential political proceedings in Parliament.
