Justice Yashwant Verma takes oath as Allahabad High Court Judge amid corruption allegations

Justice Verma would, however, not be given any judicial work until completion of the in-house inquiry against him, according to the sources. Sources said that Justice took oath in a private chamber.

Lucknow: Facing a Supreme Court monitored probe following alleged discovery of a huge amount of cash from his official residence in Delhi, Justice Yashwant Verma was sworn in as a judge in the Allahabad High Court on Saturday.

However, Justice Verma would not be given any judicial work until completion of the in-house inquiry against him, according to the sources. Sources said that Justice took oath in a private chamber.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Allahabad High Court a few days back seeking to prevent Justice Verma from taking the oath. The petition has not come up for hearing so far.

The Supreme Court had dismissed a petition over registration of an FIR against Justice Verma in the matter stating that the probe against him was already on and that any decision to register FIR would be taken after the outcome of the probe.

The Allahabad HC Bar Association had strongly protested against the transfer of Justice Verma to Allahabad from Delhi HC after the alleged discovery of cash and had also proceeded on strike, which was later withdrawn.

The Association has demanded ‘impeachment’ of Justice Verma and probe by CBI and ED in the matter. It had said that Allahabad HC was not a ‘trash bin’ where corrupt judges could be transferred and had also said that the collegium system of appointment of the judges was not ‘transparent’.