The controversy surrounding Justice Varma began when firefighters, who were called to control a fire during Holi, discovered bundles of burnt cash in an outhouse located on the grounds of his bungalow in central Delhi.
NEW DELHI: On Tuesday, the central government reached out to all political parties regarding the cash discovered at the residence of Delhi High Court judge, Justice Yashwant Varma.
Sources revealed that the government is keen on hearing opinions from both the ruling and opposition parties on this sensitive matter.
This outreach followed a meeting earlier in the day, organized by Rajya Sabha Chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar. In the meeting, floor leaders from various political parties, including Congress, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC), the ruling DMK from Tamil Nadu, the BJD from Odisha, the BRS and YSRCP from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, gathered to discuss the issue. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also attended the meeting. Afterward, the floor leaders were instructed to consult with their parties before another meeting takes place.
The government is expected to decide on the next steps after gathering the views of all parties in the upcoming meeting.
The controversy surrounding Justice Varma began when firefighters, who were called to control a fire during Holi, discovered bundles of burnt cash in an outhouse located on the grounds of his bungalow in central Delhi.
Justice Varma, however, has denied any connection to the money found, asserting that neither he nor his family members are involved. He further clarified that the outhouse in question is left unlocked and can be accessed by anyone on the premises.
Justice Varma said, “The outhouse is kept unlocked and can be accessed by anyone in the compound.”
The Supreme Court, in response to the issue, directed that Justice Varma be transferred back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court, earlier this week. In addition, the Court has set up a three-member committee to conduct an in-house inquiry. The committee will include the Chief Justices of the Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, and Karnataka High Courts.
In a significant move, the Supreme Court also decided to separate Justice Varma’s transfer from the cash discovery incident, ensuring that both matters are dealt with independently. Justice Varma was also withdrawn from active judicial duties as a precautionary measure.
To maintain transparency in the investigation, the Supreme Court made the Delhi High Court’s report regarding the incident public. However, some names in the report have been redacted to protect privacy.
The situation surrounding the discovery of the cash has been complicated further by conflicting statements from Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg.
Initially, he appeared to deny that any money was found at the site, but later, he retracted his statement, claiming, “I had made no such statement.”
The incident has raised concerns among legal experts. Senior lawyers, including former Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, have questioned the way the matter is being handled.
Rohatgi commented on the situation, stating, “There is a need to streamline protocol for disciplinary actions against sitting judges.”
His remark highlights the need for clearer procedures to address issues related to judges’ conduct.
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
