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The inquiry committee report into allegations against former Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma will be tabled in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday. Removal proceedings were initiated against Justice Varma following the alleged discovery of unaccounted cash at his official residence.
The report by a three-member inquiry panel examined the allegations levelled against the former judge. The probe panel was constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on August 15, 2025, under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, after 146 MPs submitted a notice of motion seeking Justice Varma's removal. The report of the inquiry committee is scheduled to be tabled in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. According to the list of business for August 12, the Secretary-General will lay the "Report, Volumes 1 and 2 (English and Hindi versions) of the Inquiry Committee" along with oral and documentary evidence recorded during the inquiry. The development comes days after the Supreme Court on Friday (August 7) refused to entertain a plea seeking criminal action against Justice Varma over the alleged recovery of burnt cash from his official residence. The controversy began on March 14, 2025, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma's official residence in Lutyens' Delhi while he was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court. Fire tenders responding to the incident allegedly found semi-burnt wads of currency notes at the premises. Justice Varma was not present at the residence at the time of the incident. Following the controversy, Justice Varma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. He took the oath as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on April 5, 2025. Separately, the Supreme Court had constituted a three-member judges' inquiry panel to examine the allegations. The panel examined more than 55 witnesses and found substance in the allegations concerning the presence of piles of burnt and unburnt cash at Justice Varma's residence. The panel indicted Justice Varma for misconduct and recommended his removal. Justice Varma resigned from his position as a judge of the Allahabad High Court this year. (ANI)
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