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The Supreme Court on Friday (January 17) rejected a plea by Justice Yashwant Varma challenging the Lok Sabha Speaker's nod to an impeachment motion, constituting an inquiry committee against him in the cash recovery row.
Justice Varma is facing an impeachment motion after cash was discovered at his official residence when the fire broke out in March 2025.
On January 16, he told a Parliamentary panel that no cash was recovered from his official residence in New Delhi. "I wasn't present when the fire took place. No cash was recovered from my residence. I have absolutely no role in this," Varma had said in a response filed before a Parliamentary panel.
Justice Varma was repatriated from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court after burnt wads of currency notes were found at his official residence in New Delhi on March 14, 2025. The top court had on December 16, 2025, agreed to hear Justice Varma's plea challenging the constitution of the inquiry committee and issued notices to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Secretaries-General of both Houses of Parliament.
Earlier, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had initiated an in-house inquiry and constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter. The committee submitted its report on May 4, 2025, finding Justice Varma guilty of misconduct.
After Justice Varma declined to resign, the CJI forwarded the report and the judge’s response to the President and the Prime Minister, setting the stage for impeachment proceedings.
Justice Varma is facing an impeachment motion after cash was discovered at his official residence when the fire broke out in March 2025.
On January 16, he told a Parliamentary panel that no cash was recovered from his official residence in New Delhi. "I wasn't present when the fire took place. No cash was recovered from my residence. I have absolutely no role in this," Varma had said in a response filed before a Parliamentary panel.
Justice Varma was repatriated from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court after burnt wads of currency notes were found at his official residence in New Delhi on March 14, 2025. The top court had on December 16, 2025, agreed to hear Justice Varma's plea challenging the constitution of the inquiry committee and issued notices to the Lok Sabha Speaker and the Secretaries-General of both Houses of Parliament.
Earlier, then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had initiated an in-house inquiry and constituted a three-member committee to probe the matter. The committee submitted its report on May 4, 2025, finding Justice Varma guilty of misconduct.
After Justice Varma declined to resign, the CJI forwarded the report and the judge’s response to the President and the Prime Minister, setting the stage for impeachment proceedings.
