The Supreme Court Collegium has decided to transfer Justice Yashwant Verma from the Delhi High Court back to the Allahabad High Court, his parent High Court, after a significant amount of unaccounted cash was discovered in his official residence in Delhi. The incident occurred during the Holi vacations when a fire broke out in the bungalow. Justice Verma was not in the city at the time, and his family members called emergency services, leading to the discovery of the cash by the police.
Sources indicate that the matter was swiftly escalated through official channels, prompting Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and the five-member Supreme Court Collegium to take immediate action. The Collegium unanimously agreed on his transfer, though some members believed that stricter measures were necessary to uphold the judiciary’s integrity. There were also discussions about asking Justice Verma to resign, and if he refused, an internal inquiry could be launched, potentially leading to his removal by Parliament.
The Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya acknowledged the severity of the situation, expressing concern over the impact on the judicial system. Senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj, mentioning the incident in court, urged administrative steps to prevent such occurrences in the future.
This incident has raised serious concerns regarding judicial accountability. According to Supreme Court guidelines established in 1999, allegations of corruption or misconduct against judges require a thorough inquiry. The Chief Justice first seeks a response from the judge, and if found unsatisfactory, an internal committee comprising one Supreme Court judge and two High Court Chief Justices is formed. If the misconduct is deemed severe, the judge may be asked to resign. If the judge refuses, the Chief Justice can request the government to initiate removal proceedings under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.
Following the incident, social media has been flooded with criticism of the Supreme Court’s Collegium system. Many netizens have questioned the transparency and accountability of judicial appointments, arguing that the current system allows unchecked power without proper oversight. Several users expressed their frustration, stating that such cases highlight the need for reforms in the judiciary. Calls for a more transparent and government-monitored appointment process have gained traction, with many pointing out that corruption allegations against judges should not be handled solely by their peers.
Rajya Sabha MP and Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal has also called for a reform in the appointment process of judges to ensure transparency. In a video statement, he emphasized that corruption in the judiciary has been a long-standing issue. He urged the Supreme Court to scrutinize the appointment process to prevent such incidents in the future.
Senior Lawyer Indira Jaising too raised her voice against the collagium.
Taking to twitter she wrote, “collegium must immediately disclose the amount of money recovered to stop speculation Unaccounted cash found after fire at Delhi HC judge’s official residence sparks row, Justice Yashwant Varma, Delhi High Court, Allahabad High Court,” The debate surrounding the Collegium system and Judicial reformation was and has been there in the public discourse and it has surged manyfold following this Cash in House case involving Justice Yashwant Verma.
In the latest development, the Supreme Court has officially initiated a probe into the allegations against Justice Yashwant Verma. The top court has sought a detailed report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court regarding the matter. Legal experts indicate that whenever allegations of misconduct arise against a High Court judge, the Chief Justice of the respective High Court is required to submit a report. If allegations are made against a Supreme Court judge, an in-house committee is formed directly on the initiative of the Chief Justice of India.
Similar procedures were followed in past cases involving Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad High Court and former Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan. After receiving the information, CJI Sanjiv Khanna convened a meeting of the Collegium, where it was unanimously decided to transfer Justice Verma back to the Allahabad High Court, where he previously served till October 2021. Some Collegium members raised concerns that merely transferring Justice Verma might not be enough and could tarnish the judiciary’s image, potentially eroding public confidence in the legal system. As a result, there have been discussions about urging Justice Verma to resign voluntarily. If he refuses, the process of impeachment could be initiated in Parliament.
