Judge Yashwant Varma removed amid burnt cash scandal

In a dramatic turn of events, Delhi High Court Judge Yashwant Varma has been removed from active duty with immediate effect, barring further orders, after a pile of burnt cash was found at his residence during Holi.

This decision was announced by Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya on Monday morning.

Justice Varma, who was appointed in October 2021, currently presides over a division bench that deals with sales tax, goods and services tax, and company appeals, as per the Delhi High Court's website.

This suspension follows the Supreme Court's formation of a three-member committee, which includes the chief justices of the Punjab and Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka High Courts, to probe the matter.

Last week, Justice Varma claimed neither he nor his family stored any cash in the outhouse, which he described as "disconnected from the main residence," and noted it remains unlocked and accessible to outsiders.

Declaring himself "truly shocked," he suggested a "conspiracy" against him. He also asserted that all family cash withdrawals are well-documented through regular banking channels, UPI applications, and cards.

The controversy initially erupted when reports of the cash surfaced and the Supreme Court Collegium considered transferring Justice Varma back to the Allahabad High Court. 

This proposed transfer prompted calls for an exhaustive inquiry, including from senior advocate Harish Salve, who criticized the Collegium system as ill-equipped to handle such matters. Salve advocated the transfer be suspended until the facts are confirmed.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court clarified that Justice Varma's 'transfer' had no relation to the cash inquiry, dismissing it as "misinformation" and "rumours," and declared an in-house investigation.

In an extraordinary gesture to promote transparency, the Supreme Court released a report by the Delhi High Court, including photographs and videos, although some portions were redacted for confidentiality.

The discovery of the burned money also led to further confusion after Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg denied making any statements about the cash, stating he had clarified the situation with media outlets reporting false information.