New Delhi, Aug 12: The report of an inquiry committee which investigated allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma against whom removal proceedings were initiated over the alleged discovery of unaccounted cash from his official residence was tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
Secretary General P C Mody tabled the two-volume report (English and Hindi versions) along with oral and documentary evidence recorded during the course of the investigation.
The three-member probe panel had submitted its findings to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in May.
The Speaker had constituted the inquiry committee on August 12, 2025, to probe the alleged discovery of wads of cash from the judge’s Delhi bungalow.
According to the list of business of the Lok Sabha for Wednesday, the secretary general of the Lower House will “lay” the two volumes of the report along with oral evidence in the House.
A fire broke out in the official residence of Justice Varma on the night of March 14, 2025. Firefighters called to put out the blaze allegedly discovered massive amounts of burnt currency in a storeroom.
Justice Varma has since resigned, and removal proceedings against him have virtually become infructuous. His resignation, however, has not yet been notified by the law ministry.
Justice Varma was a judge of the Delhi High Court and was repatriated to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court, following the controversy.
An in-house committee constituted by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna concluded that Justice Varma had “active or tacit control” over the specific storeroom where the cash was hidden.
In July 2025, over 200 MPs signed a motion to impeach (removal by Parliament) the judge.
In August last year, Birla then constituted the three-member Judges Inquiry Committee to look into the charges.
However, facing the prospect of being removed by Parliament, Justice Varma resigned as a judge of the Allahabad High Court, rendering the impeachment proceedings against him “infructuous”.
People aware of the process to appoint and remove Supreme Court and high court judges said according to a top court judgment, a judge is “deemed to have resigned” once he or she tenders resignation to the President” and “circulates” its copy (makes it public).
A judge’s resignation is not “subject to acceptance” by the President.
According to the procedure, the President gives “formal acceptance” following which it is notified by the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry. (PTI)
