Is Justice Varma Facing FIR Over Burnt Cash Found at His Residence?

New Delhi, May 20 (NationPress) The Supreme Court is set to examine on Wednesday a petition seeking the criminal prosecution of Justice Yashwant Varma, who is currently facing scrutiny over the alleged discovery of a significant amount of burnt cash in the storeroom of his bungalow in the national capital. This discovery occurred after the fire brigade was called to extinguish a fire on March 14.

According to the causelist released on the apex court's website, a bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan will deliberate on this matter on May 21.

During a hearing on Monday, a bench led by Chief Justice of India B.R. Gavai informed advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, who is representing the petitioners, that the court might address the plea on May 20.

After Nedumpara indicated his unavailability for a Tuesday hearing, the CJI Gavai-led bench agreed to schedule the matter for May 21.

Last week, when requesting an urgent hearing, the CJI Gavai-led bench instructed Nedumpara to adhere to the 'mentioning procedure', which necessitates sending an email to the apex court registry for an expedited listing of the petition.

The petition argues that if Justice Varma is found guilty of amassing wealth through corrupt practices, mere impeachment would be insufficient. It emphasizes, 'What has transpired is a serious crime against public justice. When a judge, who is supposed to uphold justice, becomes an accused, the severity of the offense escalates, warranting appropriate punishment.' It further insists on the necessity for criminal investigations to uncover who the bribers and beneficiaries were and the circumstances surrounding the alleged corruption.

The petition claims that the substantial amounts of cash found, both burnt and partially burned, are indicative of bribe-related corruption, violations punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Corruption Act. It questions the absence of an FIR and the failure to initiate criminal proceedings, which would typically involve the seizure of evidence and the arrest of suspects.

In late March, a bench of Justices Oka and Bhuyan dismissed a plea by the same petitioners urging the Delhi Police to register an FIR and ensure a thorough investigation into the cash discovery allegations.

The bench noted, 'An in-house inquiry is underway. If the findings indicate wrongdoing, an FIR could be initiated, or the matter referred to Parliament. Now is not the time to deliberate on the FIR registration.'

Challenging the lack of an FIR on March 14, the day the unaccounted cash was reportedly discovered, the petition highlights that the authorities' delay in releasing electronic records suggests a possible cover-up.

The shocking cash discovery led to the formation of a three-member inquiry committee by then CJI Sanjiv Khanna to investigate Justice Varma. During the ongoing inquiry, Justice Varma was reassigned from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, following a recommendation from the Supreme Court Collegium to the Centre.

This month, CJI Khanna submitted the inquiry committee's report to the President and the Prime Minister.

The apex court's press release on May 8 stated, 'The Chief Justice of India, in accordance with the In-House Procedure, has communicated with the Hon’ble President of India and the Hon’ble Prime Minister, attaching the 3-Member Committee report dated 03.05.2025, along with Justice Yashwant Varma's response dated 06.05.2025.'