The Supreme Court has launched an internal inquiry into Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma following the discovery of unaccounted cash at his residence. The cash was recovered after a fire broke out at his home, prompting firefighters to uncover the stash, according to reports.
Sources indicate that the apex court has requested a detailed report from Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya regarding the matter.
In response, the Supreme Court Collegium initially decided to transfer Justice Varma back to the Allahabad High Court, his parent court. However, during a full court meeting on Friday, Supreme Court judges agreed that a mere transfer would be insufficient. As a result, they unanimously approved an in-house probe, with the transfer being the first step in disciplinary action.
Justice Varma’s transfer is currently in process but awaits government approval. Meanwhile, he did not preside over court proceedings on Friday, with his staff confirming that he was on leave.
Justice Yashwant Varma, born in 1969, earned his LL.B. from Rewa University in Madhya Pradesh and began his legal career in 1992. Over the years, he held key positions, including special counsel for the Allahabad High Court and chief standing counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh. Elevated as a Senior Advocate in 2013, he was appointed as an additional judge of the High Court in 2014 and became a permanent judge in 2016. He was later transferred to the Delhi High Court, assuming office on October 11, 2021.
