Published Apr 10, 2026 | 1:30 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 10, 2026 | 1:30 PM
Justice Yashwant Varma.
Synopsis: Nearly a year after a controversy over alleged unaccounted cash found at his official residence in Delhi, Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court resigned. He sent his resignation to the President as impeachment proceedings against him gathered pace.
Nearly a year after a controversy over alleged unaccounted cash found at his official residence in Delhi, Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court resigned, reports said on Friday, 10 April.
He sent his resignation to the President as impeachment proceedings against him gathered pace, with over 140 Lok Sabha members backing a motion seeking his removal.
“While I do not propose to burden your august office with the reasons which have constrained me to submit this missive, it is with deep anguish that I hereby tender my resignation from the office of Judge of the Hon’ble High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, with immediate effect. It has been an honour to serve in this office,” he said in the resignation letter.
The controversy dates back to March 2025, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi. During firefighting operations, stacks of cash, some reportedly over 1.5 feet high, were said to have been found at the site.
Following the incident, the then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, ordered an in-house inquiry and transferred Justice Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. His judicial work was withdrawn pending the probe.
Emergency responders who arrived at the scene allegedly discovered a significant quantity of cash in a storeroom. Videos showing bundles of charred currency notes began circulating on social media, prompting widespread speculation and accusations of corruption.
In response, on 22 March, the CJI set up a three-member inquiry panel comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu (Punjab and Haryana High Court), Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka High Court).
The committee’s report, now submitted to the CJI, includes a detailed chronology of the 14–15 March fire incident, identifying individuals present during the emergency and documenting the sequence of events that led to the discovery of cash.
Meanwhile, Justice Varma had maintained his position and continued his judicial duties.
