According to reports, Justice Yashwant Verma was not at home when a fire broke out at his residence. His wife immediately called the fire brigade. While extinguishing the fire, firefighters stumbled upon stacks of currency notes in one of the rooms. The police and Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna were informed about the incident.
NEW DELHI: Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT department, pointed out that Justice Verma had previously halted the CBI investigations into corruption allegations against Shibu Soren, as directed by the Lokpal.
According to reports, Justice Yashwant Verma was not at home when a fire broke out at his residence. His wife immediately called the fire brigade. While extinguishing the fire, firefighters stumbled upon stacks of currency notes in one of the rooms. The police and Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna were informed about the incident.
However, some members of the five-judge collegium felt that merely transferring the judge might not be enough, as it could weaken public trust in the judiciary.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has responded cautiously to the discovery of a large amount of cash at the residence of Delhi High Court Judge Yashwant Verma. The party stated that it should not interfere in judicial matters, as the Chief Justice of India (CJI) is already handling the issue.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra referred to media reports and said,
“The Chief Justice of India (CJI) has taken a decision on the matter.”
He emphasized that since the judiciary is looking into it, the party should not make any remarks
Despite the huge amount of unaccounted cash found at his residence, Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna did not suspend Justice Verma. Instead, he decided to transfer him.
How the Case Came to Light
Justice Verma was reportedly out of town when the fire broke out. According to Times of India, his family members immediately informed the fire department and local police. However, what initially seemed like a routine fire emergency took a dramatic turn when firefighters stumbled upon a large stash of cash in one of the rooms while extinguishing the flames.
This unexpected discovery led to senior police officials being alerted, and the matter was quickly escalated to higher government authorities and the Chief Justice of India.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, CJI Khanna wasted no time and called for an emergency meeting of the Supreme Court Collegium—the powerful body responsible for judicial appointments and transfers. In an urgent move, the Collegium unanimously decided to transfer Justice Verma back to his parent High Court, Allahabad, from where he had been appointed to the Delhi High Court in October 2021.
Commenting on the decision, critics argued, “A mountain of cash was found at home without any accountability, yet the Chief Justice of India is only transferring him.”
No suspension or investigation was ordered. Some critics sarcastically remarked,
“Who knows, maybe Justice Yashwant was running a bank from home! Or perhaps he was running a loan business to help the poor?”
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren is facing corruption charges, and his party, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), now led by his son Hemant Soren, is part of the opposition INDIA bloc.
On Friday, the Supreme Court collegium initiated a preliminary inquiry into Justice Verma’s case. As a result, the collegium recommended his transfer to another high court.
The incident has raised serious questions about the judiciary’s approach to corruption. Critics have compared it to other professions where suspension and investigations follow such allegations.
Some even questioned, “Why won’t Ram Manohar Mishra’s decision in the POCSO case be delivered? Does the Chief Justice not care about the judiciary’s honor?”
WHO IS JUSTICE YESHWANT VERMA
Justice Varma’s judicial career began in October 2014 when he was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court. He was elevated to a permanent position in February 2016.
According to the Delhi High Court website, Justice Varma was born on January 6, 1969, in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), Uttar Pradesh. He pursued a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from Delhi University’s Hansraj College before obtaining his LL.B. from Rewa University in Madhya Pradesh.
He enrolled as an advocate at the Allahabad High Court on August 8, 1992, where he specialized in constitutional matters, labour disputes, industrial laws, corporate regulations, and taxation.
Between 2006 and his appointment to the bench, he served as Special Counsel for the Allahabad High Court and later as the state’s Chief Standing Counsel.
The controversy arose when firefighters responding to a blaze at Justice Varma’s Delhi residence discovered a significant amount of unaccounted cash. In response, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, recommended his transfer back to the Allahabad High Court to safeguard the judiciary’s integrity.
Justice Varma has not publicly addressed the incident and was absent from court proceedings today. His office informed PTI that he is currently “on leave.”
Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya acknowledged the gravity of the situation after senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj raised concerns in court, stating,
“Yes, everyone has been shaken and demoralised.”
Meanwhile, senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal called for a review of the judicial appointment process. In a video statement, he emphasized the severity of corruption in the judiciary, noting that it has been an ongoing concern for years.
“The appointment process should be more transparent and carefully executed… Corruption is a serious issue, and despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statements, it has only increased,” he remarked.
