Aastha Pareek
The Chief Justice of India has constituted a three-member committee to investigate allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting Judge of the Delhi High Court, as part of the in-house procedure forjudicial accountability. This decision follows a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, DK Upadhyay, regarding the discovery of unaccounted cash at Justice Varma’s official residence. The report, along with Justice Varma’s response and other related documents, has been uploaded on the Supreme Court website to ensure transparency.
The inquiry committee comprises Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Justice Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the Karnataka High Court. Their task is to assess the allegations and determine whether further action is warranted under the established judicial mechanisms. In the meantime, the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court has been directed not to assign any judicial work to Justice Yashwant Varma, effectively barring him from adjudicating cases until the inquiry reaches a conclusion.
Alongside the investigation, the Supreme Court Collegium is also considering a proposal to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court, his parent High Court. Judicial transfers in such cases are often aimed at maintaining impartiality and ensuring that the inquiry proceeds without any external influence. The case underscores the judiciary’s commitment to upholding institutional integrity and reinforcing public confidence in the justice system. The outcome of the inquiry will be crucial in determining any further course of action against Justice Varma.
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