Chandigarh: Former HC Judge Nirmal Yadav Acquitted in High-Profile Cash Scandal

Chandigarh witnessed the conclusion of one of its longest-running trials as a special CBI court acquitted former Punjab and Haryana High Court judge Nirmal Yadav in the high-profile 2008 cash-at-judge's-door case. The verdict, delivered by Special CBI Judge Alka Malik on Saturday at the district courts complex, came 17 years after the initial FIR was registered, making it a landmark case where a sitting judge was booked for corruption.

Case Background and Allegations

The case originated on August 13, 2008, when Chandigarh Police registered an FIR following an unusual incident. A packet containing ₹15 lakh in cash was mistakenly delivered to the residence of Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, then a sitting judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Upon discovering the cash, Justice Kaur immediately reported it to the police, triggering an investigation that soon led to Justice Nirmal Yadav being named as the intended recipient of the money.

According to the prosecution, the cash was allegedly a bribe linked to a 2007 property dispute in Panchkula, favoring then Haryana Additional Advocate General Sanjeev Bansal, property dealer Rajiv Gupta, and Delhi-based hotelier Ravinder Singh Bhasin. Following the controversy, Justice Yadav went on leave and was later transferred to the Uttarakhand High Court.

Legal Proceedings and Trial

The case was transferred to the CBI within weeks of the incident. Meanwhile, an internal panel of the Supreme Court and the CBI cleared Justice Nirmaljit Kaur of any wrongdoing. She was later transferred to the Rajasthan High Court in 2012 before returning to Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2018, where she served until her retirement in 2021.

Initially, in 2009, the CBI filed a closure report, stating that no case was made out. However, the CBI court rejected the report and ordered a reinvestigation. Subsequently, in 2010, the then Chief Justice of India sanctioned the prosecution of Justice Yadav, with the President of India granting approval in March 2011. The CBI filed a chargesheet against Justice Yadav on March 3, 2011, just a day before her retirement.

Despite challenging the proceedings in both the High Court and the Supreme Court, Justice Yadav was unsuccessful. In 2014, the CBI court framed charges against all accused, and the trial officially began. Over the next 17 years, the case was heard more than 300 times by different judges. A total of 69 prosecution witnesses deposed, with 13 turning hostile, including Justice Yadav's personal security officer and several associates of the accused. Additionally, four witnesses passed away during the prolonged legal battle, including Sanjeev Bansal, the key figure in the case, who succumbed to a brain tumor.

After nearly two decades, the trial concluded on March 27, 2025, with the court acquitting Justice Nirmal Yadav and all co-accused due to lack of conclusive evidence. The case, which had garnered national attention for being the first of its kind involving a sitting judge, finally reached its legal closure, marking the end of a prolonged and controversial judicial battle.