Justice Yashwant Varma Resigns From Allahabad HC Amid Cash-At-Home Probe
The resignation effectively ends the impeachment proceedings initiated against him in the Lok Sabha.
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Justice Yashwant Varma resigned from his position as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on 10 April.
His resignation followed ongoing parliamentary and judicial inquiries into allegations of unaccounted cash discovered at his official residence in Delhi in March 2025.
The resignation was submitted to President Droupadi Murmu and communicated to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, effectively ending the impeachment proceedings initiated in the Lok Sabha.
According to Live Law, Justice Varma’s resignation letter expressed “deep anguish” and stated that he did not wish to burden the President with the reasons for his decision. The letter was also sent to the Chief Justice of India.
The resignation occurred while a Lok Sabha inquiry committee, constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, was investigating the allegations against him.
As reported by The Hindu, the resignation letter, dated 9 April 2026, stated, “It is with deep anguish that I hereby tender my resignation from the office of Judge of the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, with immediate effect. It has been an honour to serve in this office.”
As highlighted by The Indian Express, Justice Varma’s return to the Allahabad High Court from the Delhi High Court followed the controversy regarding the alleged discovery of cash at his residence.
He had taken oath at the Allahabad High Court on 5 April 2025 and was under inquiry at the time of his resignation.
Coverage revealed that the resignation will render the ongoing impeachment inquiry infructuous, as the statutory mechanism for removal under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, ceases to operate once a judge demits office.
The impeachment process had been initiated after a motion was admitted in the Lok Sabha in August 2025, and a three-member inquiry committee was constituted by Speaker Om Birla.
The allegations against Justice Varma stemmed from the discovery of burnt currency notes at his official residence in Delhi during a fire incident in March 2025, when he was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court.
Reporting indicated that a Supreme Court in-house inquiry panel found his explanation unsatisfactory, leading to the recommendation for his removal.
The Supreme Court dismissed Justice Varma’s legal challenges to both the in-house inquiry and the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision to constitute the inquiry committee.
Further details confirmed that Justice Varma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court following the controversy and was facing the possibility of parliamentary removal proceedings.
“While I do not propose to burden your august office with the reasons which have constrained me to submit this missive, it is with deep anguish that I hereby tender my resignation from the office of Judge of the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, with immediate effect,” Justice Varma wrote in his resignation letter.
Analysis showed that the resignation brings an abrupt end to a rare instance of impeachment proceedings against a sitting high court judge, raising significant questions about judicial accountability and the balance between independence and oversight within the higher judiciary.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.