Supreme Court Rejects Justice Yashwant Varma’s Plea in Cash at Home Controversy

In a landmark decision issued on August 7, 2025, the Supreme Court of India has officially dismissed the petition filed by Justice Yashwant Varma, a judge at the Allahabad High Court, that sought to explode an in‑house inquiry which implicated him in a controversy involving the discovery of large sums of cash at his official residence.

Justice Varma had challenged both the findings of a three‑judge internal committee set up by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna and the ensuing recommendation to the President and Prime Minister for his removal from office. He raised constitutional objections, arguing the committee lacked authority and that the entire process breached principles of natural justice. In a striking legal renaming, he filed his petition under anonymity, referring to himself as in an apparent attempt to preserve peace.

However, the Court was unpersuaded. A bench led by Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih pronounced that the internal procedure was fully valid and constitutional. It rejected claims that the in‑house inquiry or the Chief Justice’s recommendation overstepped legal boundaries. The bench stressed that the Judges (Protection) Act, 1985, empowers the judiciary to conduct and act upon such proceedings in the name of maintaining institutional integrity.

During the hearing, the Court did not mince words: Justice Varma’s conduct was depicted as lacking in credibility. The bench questioned the timing and strategy of his legal challenge, remarking that he should not have challenged the panel after participating in it, initially calling the plea “not worth entertaining” and noting it “should not have been filed.

With the plea dismissed, Parliament is now empowered to proceed with impeachment proceedings under Articles 124, 217 and 218 of the Constitution. Justice Varma may become the first High Court judge in independent India to face removal from office through this constitutional process.

This ruling sends a clear message: the judiciary will validate its internal accountability mechanisms, and even its highest ranks are not immune from scrutiny when allegations arise. As a result, the path is now open for Parliamentary investigation, and a more definitive resolution to this high‑profile case.

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