SC Collegium recommends transfer of Justice Varma to Allahabad HC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Collegium on Monday recommended the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge of the High Court of Delhi, back to his parent court, the Allahabad High Court.

The resolution of the Collegium stated, “In its meetings held on 20th and 24th March 2025, has recommended repatriation of Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, High Court of Delhi, to the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad.”

The Allahabad High Court Bar Association had raised an objection over the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court.

Justice Varma has been in controversy since a stash of cash was allegedly recovered from his official residence here.

As per the media reports, a fire at the judge’s house had inadvertently led to the recovery of cash by the firefighter.

Media reports said the cash was found initially by fire tenders when a fire broke out in the judge’s residence on March 14. The judge was not present at his house.

The Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, on Saturday constituted a three-member Committee consisting of High Court judges to conduct an inquiry into the allegations.

The committee consists of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab & Haryana, Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh, and Anu Sivaraman, judge of the High Court of Karnataka.

The Chief Justice of the High Court of Delhi, Devendra Upadhyaya, for the time being has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma.

The Supreme Court had also released the inquiry report of the High Court Chief Justice into the controversy relating to Justice Varma. In his report, the Delhi High Court Chief Justice said that he is of the prima facie opinion that the entire matter warrants a “deeper probe.”

It also released the response of Justice Varma, who has denied the allegations and said that it clearly appeared to be a “conspiracy to frame and malign” him.

Justice Varma had said that no cash was ever placed in that storeroom either by him or any of his family members and said he strongly denounce the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged to them.

Justice Verma had also stated that the room which caught fire and where cash was allegedly found was an outhouse and not the main building where the judge and family resided.

On Friday, the Supreme Court brushed aside any connection between the transfer of Justice Varma to his parent Allahabad High Court and the alleged recovery of a stash of cash from his official residence here.