Mon May 19 06:44:34 UTC 2025: **Summary:**
The Chief Justice of India, B.R. Gavai, has stated that he will list a plea for hearing that requests an FIR be filed against Justice Yashwant Varma, a High Court judge, concerning burnt currency notes found at his residence after a fire. The plea, filed by advocate Mathews Nedumpara, alleges that the burnt money was likely the result of bribery/corruption and criticizes the lack of an official investigation. Justice Gavai will list the plea only if the defects in it are rectified. The issue has been ongoing, with a previous inquiry committee report forwarded to the President and Prime Minister after Justice Varma refused to step down. The plea references a Supreme Court case, K. Veeraswami v. Union of India, which stipulates that a criminal case against a judge requires prior consultation with the Chief Justice.
**News Article:**
**CJI to Consider FIR Plea Against Judge Over Burnt Currency Incident**
**New Delhi, May 19, 2025:** The Chief Justice of India (CJI), B.R. Gavai, has signaled his willingness to consider a petition seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against High Court Judge Yashwant Varma in connection with burnt currency notes found at his official residence earlier this year. The incident, which occurred after a fire in March, has sparked controversy and calls for a thorough investigation.
Advocate Mathews Nedumpara, the petitioner, argued that the burnt and partially burnt money points to possible bribery and corruption, offenses punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Corruption Act. Nedumpara criticized the lack of official action so far, stating that the currency should have been seized, the location secured, and suspects arrested.
Chief Justice Gavai addressed Nedumpara’s request for an urgent hearing, stating that the case will be listed once the petition’s technical defects are corrected.
The case has a complex history. An inquiry committee report on the incident was previously forwarded to the President and the Prime Minister by CJI Gavai’s predecessor, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, after Justice Varma declined to voluntarily resign or retire.
Nedumpara’s petition also invokes the precedent set by the Supreme Court case K. Veeraswami v. Union of India, which mandates that a criminal case against a judge of a constitutional court requires prior consultation with the Chief Justice of India. The case remains under close scrutiny, raising questions about judicial accountability and transparency.
First Piper 