Cash stash fire row: SC collegium recommends transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma to Allahabad HC

The Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, his parent institution, news agency ANI reported on Monday. The resolution was issued as part of the Collegium's administrative decisions and comes amid controversy surrounding a fire incident and the alleged discovery of cash at the judge’s official residence.

Earlier, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association had objected to any such move when reports first emerged saying that Justice Varma may be transferred back to the Allahabad High Court.

The controversy gained national attention after a fire broke out on March 14 in the storeroom of Justice Varma’s government residence in Lutyens’ Delhi. Firefighters and police personnel reportedly discovered “four to five semi-burnt sacks” of Indian currency notes at the scene. The incident sparked a political outcry and calls for a deeper probe.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member panel to investigate the matter. The Supreme Court later took the unprecedented step of uploading the in-house inquiry report on its website. The 25-page document included photos and a video, confirming that currency notes were found among the burnt material.

Justice Varma, however, has denied all allegations. He stated that no cash had ever been stored in the storeroom by him or any of his family members.

The opposition has seized on the matter, calling for accountability. AAP MP Sanjay Singh said, “This is the first time in the history of India that bundles of currency notes have been discovered from the house of a judge… He should resign and the matter should be investigated.”

Congress MP Karti Chidambaram welcomed the formation of the judicial panel but added, “The government should make a statement on the issue in Parliament.”