* Transfer is not related to cash row probe: Supreme Court*
New Delhi: A fire at the residence of Delhi High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma led to the discovery of a large sum of unaccounted cash, sparking an internal investigation by the Supreme Court collegium.
The incident occurred on 14 March, while Justice Varma was out of town, with his family members calling the fire brigade to control the blaze. Upon extinguishing the fire, firefighters discovered a significant amount of cash in one of the rooms, prompting them to alert the police.
The unexpected discovery led Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna to convene an urgent collegium meeting. The Supreme Court collegium, in response, transferred Justice Varma back to his parent court, Allahabad High Court, where he had previously served before moving to the Delhi HC in October 2021.
The transfer has sparked controversy, with some members of the collegium suggesting that merely transferring Justice Varma may not be enough and that a formal inquiry should be initiated. Some believe this would be the first step towards a potential dismissal by Parliament.
The Supreme Court, however, clarified that the transfer is not related to the ongoing investigation into the cash discovery. In a statement, the Court dismissed rumors and misinformation linking the transfer to the incident. The Court confirmed that an in-house inquiry is underway, led by the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, who began collecting evidence and information before submitting a report to CJI Khanna. The report will be reviewed for any further necessary action.
The Supreme Court emphasized that the transfer of Justice Varma is independent of the inquiry and follows standard procedures.
