‘Unnatural Conduct’: Panel Seeks Justice Varma’s Removal Over Cash at Residence

A Supreme Court-appointed inquiry panel has recommended the removal of Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma, after concluding there is “sufficient substance” in allegations related to a large quantity of cash—some of it half-burnt—found at his official residence in Delhi. The panel slammed the judge’s failure to report the incident as ‘unnatural’ conduct.

The damning report follows an investigation into a fire that broke out at Justice Varma’s residence in March this year. The inquiry committee found corroborative evidence from 55 witnesses, including police and fire personnel, as well as videos and photographs showing “a large pile” of Rs 500 notes strewn across a storeroom floor.

“I was shocked and surprised by such a large amount of cash; it was the first time I saw anything like it in my life,” one witness told the panel.

The committee’s report heavily criticized the judge’s subsequent actions, or lack thereof. It noted that despite the discovery of a substantial sum of money under suspicious circumstances, neither Justice Varma nor any of his family members ever reported the matter to the police or brought it to the attention of senior judicial authorities like the Chief Justice of the High Court or the Chief Justice of India.

“No plausible explanation has been given… the judge’s claim of lack of knowledge is unbelievable,” the panel observed, questioning, “if there was any conspiracy, why did he not file a complaint?”

The report also flagged serious concerns of a cover-up. It stated that the storeroom where the cash was found was under the exclusive control of the judge and his family, and that the room was later cleaned out and the notes ‘disappeared’. A private secretary to the judge allegedly directed fire officials to omit any mention of the currency from their official report, and fire services personnel claimed a superior officer told them not to pursue the matter as “higher ups were involved.”

Justice Varma has consistently maintained his innocence, calling the episode a “conspiracy” to malign his reputation and terming the inquiry a “fundamentally unjust” process. He has neither resigned nor opted for voluntary retirement. The panel, however, rejected his defence, stating, “Currency notes were seen by multiple people and recorded in real time. It is implausible they were planted to frame him.”

Following the incident, Justice Varma was transferred from the Delhi High Court back to his parent court in Allahabad, where he has not been assigned any judicial work. The panel’s recommendation for his removal will now set in motion the next steps in the constitutional process, which could lead to impeachment proceedings in Parliament.