Can Justice Yashwant Varma Face FIR Over Cash Discovery?

New Delhi, July 16 (NationPress) In a significant development, advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, along with his co-petitioners, has once again approached the Supreme Court, requesting a directive to the Delhi Police to file an FIR concerning the alleged recovery of substantial amounts of unaccounted cash from Justice Yashwant Varma's residence.

The former Delhi High Court judge has found himself at the center of a scandal involving the purported discovery of a large quantity of charred cash in a storeroom linked to his bungalow in New Delhi, following a fire incident on March 14.

Earlier in May, the Supreme Court declined to consider a similar request from the same petitioners for the criminal prosecution of Justice Varma.

“An in-house inquiry report has been submitted to both the President of India and the Prime Minister for further action. If you're pursuing a writ of mandamus, you must first present your case to those authorities where the matter is pending,” stated a bench led by Justice Abhay S. Oka, who has since retired, addressing advocate Nedumpara, the main petitioner.

“You should submit a representation urging them (the President and the PM) to take action. Should they fail to act, you may return here,” the bench, which also included Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, added.

In the final week of March, the same bench had dismissed another petition requesting that the Delhi Police register an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation into the cash-discovery claims.

“The ongoing 'in-house' inquiry may lead to an FIR if any wrongdoing is identified, or the issue could be escalated to Parliament. Now is not the appropriate time to consider the FIR’s registration,” the apex court noted at that time.

The recent petition emphasized that the Union government, responsible for the Delhi Police, has an obligation to ensure the registration of an FIR.

The petition asserted that the failure to register an FIR represents a significant lapse in fulfilling its sovereign duty to investigate offenses and ensure accountability for law violations.

The petitioners highlighted that despite sending representations to the President and the Prime Minister, no FIR has yet been filed against Justice Varma.

“The existence of vast amounts of cash amounting to crores of rupees, particularly at the official residence of a Delhi High Court judge who adjudicates commercial cases involving substantial sums, and whose residence is protected 24/7 by CRPF, strongly suggests that the money that caught fire is illicit. Both the judge and the bribe giver potentially committed offenses under the Prevention of Corruption Act, PMLA, BNS, and other statutes, obligating the Delhi Police to file an FIR,” the petition stated.

Following the shocking cash discovery incident that reverberated through judicial circles, Justice Varma was reassigned to the Allahabad High Court, and an internal inquiry was launched to investigate the allegations.

A three-member inquiry committee, established by then Chief Justice Khanna, deemed the allegations serious enough to warrant impeachment proceedings against Justice Varma.

Sources indicate that the Union government is preparing to initiate removal proceedings against Justice Varma, with an impeachment motion set to be introduced in the upcoming Parliament session.