Photo of Justice Yashwant Varma, representative image of SC building
Credit: X@ANI/PTI File photo
New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to examine on July 28 a plea filed by Justice Yashwant Varma, indicted by an in-house inquiry report over discovery of cash haul, questioning the validity of actions initiated against him, including the recommendation for his removal.
A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih would consider his plea listed as 'XXX Vs The Union of India And Ors'.
The case title indicated Justice Varma has sought to mask his identity.
A battery of counsel, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, Mukul Rohatgi, Rakesh Dwivedi, Sidharth Luthra and Siddharth Aggarwal are likely to represent Justice Varma.
In his writ petition, Justice Varma, who was transferred from the Delhi High Court to his parent, Allahabad High Court after the alleged discovery of cash at his residence in March this year, questioned the validity of the in-house procedure, marked by what he claimed as denial of fair hearing and due process.
He also raised the issue of absence of formal complaint before the inquiry was initiated by the judges panel. Justice Varma contended the Supreme Court's act of uploading a press release on March 22, 2025, disclosing allegations against him led to intense media speculation adversely affecting his reputation and violating the right to dignity.
Justice Varma also contended the judges committee, formed by the CJI Sanjiv Khanna, denied him an opportunity to rebut the allegations or to cross examine witnesses.
He contended the recommendation to remove him was made without any personal opportunity to explain his case. He also claimed that the committee failed to investigate the basic facts, especially those related to the alleged discovery of cash on March 14.
Separately, the move is afoot to introduce the impeachment motion against Justice Varma during the Monsoon sessions of Parliament. A separate plea has been filed by advocate Mathews J Nedumpara for lodging FIR against Varma.
The cash haul was allegedly found at the residence of Justice Varma, then Delhi HC judge here during the fire incident on March 14-15, 2025.
The judge was subsequently transferred to the Allahabad High Court, his parent High Court.
On March 22, 2025, the then CJI set up the committee headed by Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, and comprising Justice G S Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Ms Justice Anu Sivaraman, judge of the High Court of Karnataka.
The committee finalised its report on May 3, 2025 indicting him, upon analysing the statements of 55 witnesses, including of Justice Varma and conducting the probe for 10 days. Then CJI Sanjiv Khanna forwarded the report to the President and the Prime Minister for further action as Justice Varma reportedly refused to step down.