Delhi cash discovery row: Justice Yashwant Varma moves SC against probe report, impeachment move

Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma has moved the Supreme Court seeking to quash the in-house probe report against him over the discovery of cash at his residence in Delhi. Justice Varma has also appealed against the move to impeach him from office.

 

Justice Varma's petition comes just ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, during which the Centre is likely to initiate the process to impeach the former Delhi High Court judge. According to reports, Justice Varma moved the petition on Thursday and yet to be allotted to a bench. 

 

 

In his petition, Justice Varma said the recommendations against him were based on an “unsustainable” report and charged that the inquiry report was prepared "through a process that ran completely roughshod" over his rights, Hindustan Times reported.

 

 

Justice Varma reportedly said in his affidavit that the probe panel appointed by the Chief Justice of India did not afford him a full and fair hearing. Varma contended the committee failed to investigate foundational facts. 

 

In his petition, though Justice Varma reportedly acknowledged that some cash would have been found in the outhouse of his residence, he argued that further inquiry was essential to establish ownership, authenticity and other material facts regarding the cash. Justice Varma charged the probe panel rushed to conclude the proceedings and drew adverse inferences without giving him a proper opportunity to defend himself, the publication reported.

 

The incident, which came to light in March 2025, sparked a wave of controversy and raised serious questions about judicial integrity. Officials had recovered a stash of partially burnt currency notes from the judge’s government-allotted bungalow in central Delhi. The committee, comprising three senior judges from different High Courts, had examined testimonies, CCTV footage, and circumstantial material to draw its conclusions.

 

In his petition, Justice Varma contends that the inquiry reversed the burden of proof, effectively forcing him to investigate and disprove the allegations against him. He criticised the process as preconceived narrative rather than an objective examination. He further alleged that the inquiry was rushed, with timelines dictated by a desire for swift closure at the cost of procedural fairness.

 

Justice Varma’s petition now places the Supreme Court in the delicate position of reviewing the internal checks on its own ranks at a time when judicial credibility remains a fiercely guarded asset. For now, all eyes are on the Supreme Court’s next move, as it decides whether to uphold the panel’s findings or send the matter back for a fresh inquiry.

 

Former CJI Sanjiv Khanna had forwarded the probe report to the president and prime minister and recommended action against Justice Varma.4

 

-with inputs from Kanu Sarda.

India