Justice Yashwant Varma Moved to Allahabad High Court, Judicial Work on Hold for Now

Justice Yashwant Varma has been transferred back to the Allahabad High Court following a notification issued by the Union government on Friday, acting on the Supreme Court Collegium's recommendation from March 24. The transfer comes amid an ongoing in-house inquiry into the alleged discovery of large amounts of cash at his official residence in Delhi.

Justice Varma, who has been serving as a judge at the Delhi High Court since 2021, became the subject of controversy after firefighters responding to a minor fire at his Tughlak Road residence on March 14 reportedly found stacks of cash, some allegedly charred. The incident led to widespread speculation and calls for a formal investigation.

On March 20, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, decided to move Justice Varma back to his parent high court in Allahabad. Three days later, the CJI set up a three-member in-house inquiry panel to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged cash discovery. The panel consists of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court; Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court; and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court. The inquiry aims to assess the allegations and determine whether Justice Varma can continue serving as a judge.

Justice Varma has denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he is being framed. After the government's notification on his transfer, CJI Khanna directed the Allahabad High Court Chief Justice not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma until the inquiry is concluded. A similar directive had been previously issued to the Delhi High Court Chief Justice.

The transfer has sparked opposition from the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, which has protested his repatriation and demanded impeachment instead. CJI Khanna and other Collegium members met with bar association leaders on Thursday and assured them that their concerns regarding Justice Varma's transfer would be taken into account.

The issue has also drawn attention in Parliament. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar responded to calls for greater judicial accountability and assured Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on March 21 that structured discussions on judicial oversight would be explored. Dhankhar later met with Leader of the House JP Nadda and Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, commending CJI Khanna for taking swift and transparent action.

Justice Varma's transfer is part of a series of judicial reshuffles at the Delhi High Court. On the same day, the government also notified the long-pending transfer of Justice CD Singh to the Allahabad High Court. Justice Singh's transfer, recommended by the Collegium in November 2024, had been awaiting government approval. Originally appointed as a judge of the Allahabad High Court in 2017, he was moved to the Delhi High Court in 2021.

Additionally, the Collegium has recommended the transfer of Delhi High Court Judge Dinesh Kumar Sharma to the Calcutta High Court. Justice Sharma, who joined the Delhi Judicial Service in 1992 and was promoted to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service in 2003, was elevated to the Delhi High Court in 2022. His transfer marks another significant judicial movement amid the controversy surrounding Justice Varma.