Wed Mar 26 03:00:00 UTC 2025: ## High Court Judge Faces Inquiry After Cash Found at Fire-Damaged Residence
**New Delhi, March 26, 2025** – A three-member Supreme Court committee will investigate allegations of misconduct against Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma following the discovery of large quantities of burnt cash at his residence after a fire on March 14th. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) established the committee after a preliminary inquiry by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice suggested further investigation was warranted.
Justice Varma denies any knowledge of the cash, stating neither he nor his family placed it in the storeroom where it was found. Following the preliminary inquiry, Justice Varma has been transferred to his parent High Court in Allahabad, and his judicial work in Delhi has been withdrawn.
The inquiry will utilize the Supreme Court’s in-house procedure for investigating judicial misconduct, established in 1999 and publicized in 2014. This procedure involves a committee review of allegations, with potential recommendations ranging from no action to recommending resignation or, if necessary, initiating parliamentary removal proceedings. The Supreme Court maintains confidentiality around these inquiries.
The article’s author, a former IAS officer, suggests reforms to improve transparency and accountability within the judicial system. This includes calls for greater transparency in the collegium system for judicial appointments, potentially reviving a discussion on the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), and establishing an independent body similar to the UK’s Judicial Conduct Investigations Office to handle misconduct allegations. The author also notes a concerning lack of criminal consequences for judges found guilty of misconduct in the past.
First Piper 