SC Collegium proposes transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma to Allahabad High Court

New Delhi, Mar 21 ,2025: The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna, has recommended the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi High Court to his parent High Court in Allahabad.

This decision follows a controversial report that has sparked discussions in legal circles.

Justice Varma, who was appointed as a judge of the Delhi High Court in October 2021, recently found himself at the center of a major controversy following a fire at his official residence. The blaze reportedly led to the discovery of a substantial amount of unaccounted cash, raising serious concerns.

According to sources, Justice Varma was not present when the fire broke out. His family immediately alerted the fire department and police, and once the fire was doused, officials allegedly found large sums of cash inside a room.

The local police escalated the matter to senior officials, eventually reaching CJI Khanna. Viewing the situation with serious concern, the Supreme Court Collegium convened a meeting and unanimously decided to transfer Justice Varma immediately.

While some Collegium members considered the transfer adequate, others argued that merely shifting him to another High Court might impact the judiciary’s credibility. They suggested he should be asked to resign, and in case of refusal, an in-house inquiry should be initiated as a precursor to potential removal through parliamentary procedures.

As per the Supreme Court’s in-house mechanism established in 1999 to investigate allegations of judicial misconduct, the CJI has the authority to seek an explanation from the judge. If further investigation is warranted, an inquiry panel comprising a Supreme Court judge and two High Court Chief Justices may be constituted.

Meanwhile, Justice Yashwant Varma was absent from court today, with his office confirming that he was on leave amid reports of his impending transfer.