Why Did the Supreme Court Dismiss the Plea Against Justice Varma?

New Delhi, May 21 (NationPress) The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to consider a plea aimed at pursuing criminal charges against Justice Yashwant Varma. This comes amidst a controversy regarding the alleged finding of a large quantity of burnt cash in the storeroom of his bungalow in the national capital, following a fire incident on March 14.

“An in-house inquiry report was completed. It has been sent to the President of India and the Prime Minister for further action. If you’re requesting a writ of mandamus, you must first submit your case to those authorities who are currently handling the matter,” said a bench led by Justice Abhay S. Oka to advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, the primary petitioner.

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

The petition claimed that if Justice Varma has indeed engaged in illicit wealth accumulation, an impeachment alone would not be adequate, demanding his criminal prosecution.

“This situation represents a serious violation of public justice. When a judge, who is supposed to uphold justice, becomes the accused, the offense is significantly more severe, warranting a greater punishment. It is crucial that criminal law is activated, the matter investigated thoroughly, and importantly, to determine who the bribe givers or beneficiaries were and what led to the corruption,” stated the petition.

“It is clear that the large sums of money that were burned and partially burned and removed covertly were nothing short of bribes or corruption—a crime punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. There has been no satisfactory explanation for the absence of an FIR or the failure to initiate criminal proceedings, which should have included seizing the currency notes at the crime scene and arresting suspects,” the plea further remarked.

In late March, another bench of Justices Oka and Bhuyan dismissed a separate plea from the same petitioners requesting the Delhi Police to file an FIR and conduct a thorough investigation regarding the cash discovery.

“The ongoing in-house inquiry could lead to an FIR if it uncovers wrongdoing, or the matter could be escalated to Parliament. Today is not the appropriate time to discuss FIR registration,” the bench commented then.

Highlighting the delay in registering an FIR on March 14, the day the unaccounted cash was reportedly located, the petition suggested that the authorities' reluctance to release electronic records implies a possible cover-up.

Following the cash discovery, which sent shockwaves through judicial circles, the then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna established a three-member committee to investigate Justice Varma. In the midst of this inquiry, Justice Varma was reassigned from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. The Supreme Court Collegium had previously recommended that the Centre return Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court.

Earlier this month, CJI Khanna sent the report from the in-house inquiry panel to the President and PM. “The Chief Justice of India, following the In-House Procedure, has communicated with the Hon’ble President of India and Hon’ble Prime Minister, including the three-member committee report dated 03.05.2025 and the response from Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma dated 06.05.2025,” stated a press release from the apex court on May 8.