Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court has tendered his resignation following a controversy surrounding alleged unaccounted cash discovered at his official residence in Delhi about a year ago. The resignation has been forwarded to the President as impeachment proceedings gained momentum, with more than 140 Lok Sabha members supporting a motion for his dismissal.
The incident dates back to March last year when a fire incident occurred at Justice Varma’s Delhi residence. During the firefighting operation, significant amounts of cash, reportedly stacked over 1.5 feet high, were reportedly unearthed. In response to the public outcry, the then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, initiated an internal inquiry, transferring Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court from the Delhi High Court and suspending his judicial duties pending the investigation.
Justice Varma has refuted the allegations, asserting that no cash was recovered from his residence. He defended himself by questioning why he should face impeachment when he was not present during the fire incident and was not involved in the initial response. He argued that the responsibility lay with the authorities present at the scene who failed to take necessary actions.
In August 2025, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla established a three-member committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 to investigate the accusations. Despite Justice Varma challenging the panel’s validity before the Supreme Court, his plea was dismissed, enabling the parliamentary committee to proceed with its inquiry.
An internal inquiry panel earlier found evidence suggesting that Justice Varma and his family had access to the room where the cash was allegedly discovered. Despite being advised to step down, Justice Varma refused, leading the report to be sent to the President and Prime Minister. With an impeachment motion supported by 146 Lok Sabha members in motion, a new three-member probe panel was appointed.
Under the Constitution’s Articles 124 and 217, a judge can be removed for “proved misbehaviour” or “incapacity” with a requirement of a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament. Notably, no judge has been impeached in India to date. Justice Varma’s resignation amidst the progressing inquiry and potential removal procedures signifies a significant development in one of the most notable judicial controversies in recent times.