Justice Yashwant Varma, currently serving on the Allahabad High Court, has denied allegations of unaccounted cash being found at his official residence in Delhi during an accidental fire in March 2025. He informed the parliamentary committee investigating the impeachment motion against him that he was not present in Delhi at the time of the incident and asserted that no cash was recovered from the premises. The committee, constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, continues to examine the matter.
According to The Indian Express, Justice Varma told the three-member parliamentary committee, headed by Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar, that he could not be held responsible for any failure by officials to secure the site after the fire. He maintained that there was no record of any recovery from the outhouse, which is separate from his residence and accessible to others, including CRPF personnel.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Justice Varma’s response to the Lok Sabha-appointed inquiry committee, submitted on 12 January 2026, emphasised that no cash was ever recovered in his or his family’s presence. He stated that no official record or memo documented the existence or seizure of any currency, and that the allegations lacked prima facie evidence. He also noted that he was in Madhya Pradesh at the time of the fire and not the first responder at the site.
Justice Varma further argued that the outhouse, where the alleged cash was found, is adjacent to CRPF barracks and separated from his family’s living quarters by a boundary wall. He pointed out that the area was accessible to many and under constant CCTV surveillance, but no footage was provided to support the allegations.
He stated, “There is zero evidence to show either the presence or the quantum of cash or currency at the site. No official document recorded the recovery of any money, nor did the reports made available to me disclose, even by approximation, the amount of currency allegedly found.”
Coverage revealed that the Supreme Court’s in-house inquiry panel had previously found some credence in the allegations, leading to the matter being forwarded to the President and Prime Minister. Justice Varma challenged the constitutionality of the in-house inquiry before the Supreme Court, but a two-judge bench dismissed his petition on 7 August 2025, finding no procedural deviation.
The impeachment proceedings were initiated after motions were introduced in both Houses of Parliament in July 2025. While the Rajya Sabha motion was not admitted, the Lok Sabha Speaker admitted the motion on 12 August and constituted the inquiry committee. The committee includes Justice Aravind Kumar, Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava of the Madras High Court, and Senior Advocate B V Acharya. Justice Varma has also challenged the legality of the parliamentary committee before the Supreme Court, which has reserved its decision on his petition as proceedings continue.
During the Supreme Court hearing on 8 January 2026, the bench noted the need to balance the rights of a judge facing removal with the will of elected representatives. The court declined to interfere with the inquiry process or grant Justice Varma additional time to respond to the committee’s notice as the legal process advances.
“No official document, he argued, recorded the recovery of any money, nor did the reports made available to him disclose, even by approximation, the amount of currency allegedly found.”
In his submissions, Justice Varma reiterated that the allegations were unsupported by evidence and that the site was not properly secured by first responders. He maintained that the absence of CCTV footage and official documentation further undermined the claims against him as highlighted in the ongoing inquiry.
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.