Yashwant Varma resigns as Allahabad HC judge amid impeachment inquiry over cash haul

New Delhi: Allahabad High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma has resigned, amid pending inquiry as a part of the impeachment proceedings over alleged recovery of cash haul in March, 2025 at his Delhi residence.

In his April 9, 2026 letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Justice Varma said, "While I do not propose to burden your august office with the reasons which have constrained me to submit this missive, it is with deep anguish that I hereby tender my resignation from the office of judge of the Hon'ble High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, with immediate effect."

It has been an honour to serve in this office, he added in his letter.

A three-member judges inquiry panel, formed by the Supreme Court, earlier found substance in allegations of presence of piles of burnt and unburnt cash at the residence of Justice Varma, then Delhi High Court judge, in March, 2025 after examining more than 55 witnesses.

The panel indicted Justice Varma for his misconduct, resulting in recommendation for his removal on May 8, 2025 by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.

He was repatriated from the Delhi High Court to Allahabad High Court without any judicial work, just after the unsavory incident related to the alleged recovery of cash.

As part of the impeachment proceedings, on August 12, 2025, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla constituted a three-member committee chaired by Supreme Court Judge Justice Aravind Kumar under the Judges Inquiry Act to investigate the allegations against Justice Varma.

Other members of the panel were Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, the then Chief Justice, Madras High Court and B V Acharya, senior advocate, Karnataka High Court.

Justice Varma twice approached the Supreme Court by filing writ petitions questioning the validity of the proceedings initiated against him but his petitions were dismissed by the apex court.

The Supreme Court had on January 16, 2026 dismissed his plea challenging Lok Sabha Speaker's decision to admit the impeachment motion against him as well as the validity of a panel set up to inquire corruption charges against him, saying a provision in law cannot be used as a weapon to scuttle parliamentary proceedings.

With his resignation, the impeachment proceedings are likely to become infructuous. According to legal experts, Justice Varma, upon acceptance of his resignation, would lose the immunity accorded to judges and an FIR can be lodged against him with regard to the incident.

As per the Supreme Court judgment in K Veeraswami Vs Union of India (1991), no criminal case can be registered against a judge of a High court or Supreme Court without the prior permission of the Chief Justice of India.

The cash haul was allegedly found at the residence of Justice Varma during the fire incident on March 14-15, 2025.

During the pending proceedings against the judge, the Supreme Court has separately rejected pleas filed by advocate Mathews J Nedumpara to lodge an FIR in respect of the incident.