Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA) wrote to the Chief Justice of India, asking for permission to file a corruption case against Justice Yashwant Varma. Burnt cash worth Rs 15 crore was allegedly found at his home during a fire incident.
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NEW DELHI: The Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA) has written a formal request to Chief Justice of India BR Gavai. They are asking him to give permission for filing a criminal case against Justice Yashwant Varma, who is currently a judge in the Allahabad High Court.
This demand comes after a shocking incident earlier this year, where a large amount of unaccounted and partly burnt cash, about Rs 15 crore: was reportedly found at Justice Varma’s official residence. At that time, he was serving as a judge in the Delhi High Court and was staying at 30 Tughlak Road in New Delhi. The cash was discovered during a firefighting operation after a fire broke out at his home on March 14, 2025.
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The lawyers’ association made this request in a letter dated June 2, 2025. In the letter, they asked the Chief Justice to allow the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The letter was signed by BLA President Advocate Ahmed Abdi and Secretary Advocate Eknath R. Dhokale. They wrote:
“The Applicant is seeking your sanction to initiate criminal prosecution, including the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), against Hon’ble Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting Judge of the Allahabad High Court, under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in connection with the alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from his official residence.”
The lawyers stressed that every person is equal in the eyes of the law and that institutions must be held accountable. They claimed that there is strong evidence like photos and videos shared by the police which prove a serious crime has happened.
They also expressed worry that even after such serious allegations and evidence, no FIR has been registered yet. There has also been no official seizure or documentation (like a panchnama) of the burnt money. This, according to them, raises concerns about the investigation’s transparency.
They mentioned an important Supreme Court judgment from the K Veeraswami v. Union of India (1991) case. In that ruling, the top court said that even a judge is a “public servant” under the Prevention of Corruption Act and can be prosecuted if the Chief Justice of India approves.
The letter strongly asked the CJI to give this approval soon. The lawyers are concerned that delaying the process could result in destruction or tampering of important evidence.
“The petitioners in earlier pleas before the Supreme Court raised concerns about the potential destruction of evidence due to the delay in initiating criminal proceedings. The absence of an FIR, seizure of the alleged cash, or a mahazar (panchnama) raises questions about the integrity of the investigation process. Immediate action is necessary to ensure that evidence is preserved and the rule of law is upheld,”
-the letter says.
The BLA has also asked the Chief Justice to tell the Delhi Police or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take control of all important evidence—like the burnt money, photos, and video clips—to protect it from tampering.
They have also requested a copy of the internal committee’s report against Justice Varma. This report, they believe, can help them file a full and proper legal complaint.
Here is a timeline of how this case developed:
- March 14, 2025: A fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi. While putting out the fire, emergency teams reportedly found approximately ₹15 crore in burnt cash.
- March 22, 2025: Then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, formed a three-judge committee to investigate. It included Chief Justice Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana High Court), Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka High Court).
- March 28, 2025: Justice Varma was transferred to the Allahabad High Court, and his judicial duties were suspended while the inquiry was ongoing.
- May 3, 2025: The inquiry committee submitted its report.
- May 6, 2025: Justice Varma submitted his response.
- May 8, 2025: A press release from the Supreme Court confirmed that both the committee’s findings and Justice Varma’s response were sent to the President and Prime Minister.
- May 21, 2025: The Supreme Court rejected a petition seeking immediate registration of an FIR against Justice Varma, calling it “premature.” However, the court said petitioners were free to approach appropriate legal authorities if needed.
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