Fri Mar 21 17:43:28 UTC 2025: ## Rajya Sabha Debates Delhi High Court Judge Cash Discovery Amidst Calls for Judicial Accountability
**New Delhi, March 21, 2025** – The Rajya Sabha today debated a controversial incident involving the alleged discovery of a “huge amount of cash” at the residence of a Delhi High Court judge following a fire. Opposition members, led by Congress chief whip Jairam Ramesh, demanded accountability, citing news reports of the incident. While the Supreme Court later clarified the judge’s proposed transfer was unrelated to the fire, the issue sparked a larger discussion on judicial accountability in Parliament.
Ramesh raised the matter with Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, highlighting the seriousness of the situation and referencing a separate request by 50 MPs to remove an Allahabad High Court judge for inappropriate remarks. Dhankhar acknowledged receiving the request for the Allahabad judge’s removal and confirmed he was investigating a potential signature forgery on the petition. He stated that he will proceed only if the number of supporting signatures exceeds 50, after clarifying the anomaly.
Dhankhar linked the current controversy to the failure of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Bill, a measure aimed at improving judicial accountability that passed Parliament with significant support but ultimately did not fully address the underlying issues. He expressed concern about the delay in the surfacing of the Delhi High Court judge incident and pledged to discuss mechanisms for more transparent and accountable judicial processes with the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition.
Congress MP Manish Tewari commented that the Supreme Court collegium appeared to be taking note of the matter, suggesting a potential upcoming decision from the collegium. The debate highlights ongoing tensions surrounding judicial independence and the need for robust mechanisms to address allegations of misconduct within the judiciary.
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