Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court has come under scrutiny after unaccounted cash was discovered at his official residence in the capital over the Holi weekend. The incident, which has sparked significant concern within the judiciary, led to the Supreme Court Collegium transferring him back to the Allahabad High Court, where he previously served.
Judicial Career and Background
Justice Varma was appointed to the Delhi High Court in October 2021, following his tenure at the Allahabad High Court. His judicial career began in October 2014 when he was named an Additional Judge at the Allahabad High Court. He was later made a permanent judge in February 2016.
Born on January 6, 1969, in Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh, Justice Varma pursued his undergraduate studies at Hansraj College, Delhi University, before obtaining an LL.B. from Rewa University in Madhya Pradesh. He enrolled as an advocate at the Allahabad High Court on August 8, 1992, specializing in constitutional law, labor disputes, industrial regulations, corporate laws, and taxation.
Between 2006 and his judicial appointment, he served as the Special Counsel for the Allahabad High Court and later became the Chief Standing Counsel for the state.
Unaccounted Cash Discovery and Aftermath
The controversy unfolded when firefighters, responding to a blaze at his Delhi residence during the Holi holidays, stumbled upon a significant amount of undisclosed cash. The discovery has raised serious concerns, prompting the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, to take swift action. Sources suggest the Collegium was keen to prevent any damage to the judiciary’s reputation.
In response, Justice Varma was absent from court proceedings, with his office confirming to news agency PTI that he is currently “on leave.” Meanwhile, Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya acknowledged the gravity of the situation after senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj mentioned the matter in court.
“Today’s incident has pained many of us. Please take some steps on the administrative side so these incidents do not happen in future and the judicial system is maintained…” Bhardwaj urged. Chief Justice Upadhyaya concurred, stating, “Yes, everyone has been shaken and demoralised.”
The development has also reignited discussions on judicial appointments, with senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal calling for reforms. “The Supreme Court should start looking at how the appointment process (to nominate judges) takes place,” he said.
As the legal fraternity grapples with this unfolding situation, all eyes remain on the response from Justice Varma and further actions from the judiciary.
