(Image source from: Deccanchronicle.com)

Justice Yashwant Varma from the Allahabad High Court has stepped down, almost a year after a scandal involving allegedly hidden cash discovered at his government home in Delhi caused a significant political and legal uproar. His resignation has been submitted to the President and coincides with the rapid progress of impeachment actions against him, with more than 140 members of the Lok Sabha supporting a motion for his dismissal. This issue began in March of the previous year when a fire occurred at Justice Varma's official residence in Delhi. During efforts to put out the fire, large amounts of cash, some reportedly more than 1.5 feet tall, were claimed to have been discovered at the location. After the incident and public backlash, the then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, initiated an internal investigation and reassigned Justice Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. His judicial responsibilities were put on hold while the investigation took place. However, Justice Varma has rejected the claims and insists that no money was found at his property. “Why should I be impeached? ”: Varma’s defence.

In a reply to a parliamentary group, Justice Varma stated that he was not at the residence when the fire happened and was not the initial responder. “Why would I be impeached if officials did not secure the area. . . The police and fire department officials on the scene did not act as they should have,” he explained to the group, as sources report. He pointed out that the site was managed by the officials present at that time and questioned how he could be blamed for any supposed mistakes. In August 2025, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla set up a three-member committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968 to look into the claims. This group comprises Justice Aravind Kumar from the Supreme Court, Justice Maninder Mohan, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, and senior lawyer BV Acharaya. Justice Varma contested the legitimacy of the committee before the Supreme Court, arguing that the motion for his removal had been turned down by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court rejected his request, permitting the parliamentary committee to continue its investigation.

A previous internal inquiry committee, which included Justice Sheel Nagu, Justice GS Sandhawalia, and Justice Anu Sivaraman, found initial evidence that Justice Varma and his family had control over the room where the cash was supposedly located. The report was sent to the President and the Prime Minister after Justice Varma refused to resign even after being advised to do so. An impeachment motion supported by 146 Lok Sabha members made the situation more serious, leading to the creation of a new three-member investigation committee. According to Articles 124 and 217 of the Constitution, a judge can be removed for “proved misbehavior” or “inability. ” This process requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament. In India, no judge has been impeached successfully up to now. As the investigation progresses and the possibility of removal proceedings nears, Justice Varma’s resignation represents a significant shift in one of the most notable judicial controversies in recent years.