New Delhi: Justice Yashwant Varma, accused of holding large sums of unaccounted cash and facing serious corruption allegations, has approached the Supreme Court seeking to quash an internal committee report that linked him to half-burnt currency notes discovered in a gutted storeroom at his official residence.
The Allahabad High Court judge argued that the report, submitted by a three-member panel of senior judges, was not legally grounded and violated his constitutional rights. He added that the report was filled with inferences rather than facts and did not offer him a fair hearing.
‘Due process not followed’
Justice Varma also contested the communication sent by former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to the President and Prime Minister recommending his removal. He said the Chief Justice forwarded the report within hours of receiving it, without personally hearing him.
The judge’s plea has yet to be listed for hearing. This is the first such move by a sitting High Court judge.
Inquiry report cites suspicious control, rejects conspiracy claims
The committee claimed that Justice Varma and his family had covert or active control over the storeroom. It rejected his claim of a conspiracy, arguing that planting cash inside a high-security residence was implausible.
The report added that trusted staff of the judge had likely removed the cash after the fire broke out on March 15. It was based on a preliminary inquiry by the Delhi HC Chief Justice calling for a deeper investigation.
