On Thursday, six high court bar associations met with the Supreme Court Collegium to protest the transfer of Justice Yashwant Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. They also presented a list of four demands, including the initiation of a criminal investigation against the judge.
Anil Tiwari, President of the Allahabad Bar Association, said that the Collegium, led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna, listened to their concerns attentively and assured them that their demands would be considered.
However, Tiwari did not clarify whether the association, which had previously rejected the transfer and called the Allahabad High Court “not a trash bin,” would call off the general strike that started on Tuesday.
Tiwari outlined their four demands: first, the cancellation of the transfer; second, that Justice Varma should not be assigned judicial or administrative duties pending a full inquiry; third, that a criminal investigation into the matter should begin immediately; and fourth, the completion of the investigation promptly.
He downplayed any dissatisfaction with the Collegium’s response, stating, “If I were dissatisfied, I would have said so to the media. But I am satisfied. I’ve communicated everything I wanted to to the Chief Justice.” Tiwari added that the Collegium had assured them that every point raised would be considered, calling it a significant statement from the five senior judges.
When asked about the strike, Tiwari emphasized that it wasn’t a decision made by a single individual. “The strike is the decision of 35,000 lawyers in the General Assembly of the Association. As President, my role is to relay this latest development, and then they will decide,” he told NDTV. He expressed hope, stating, “Since the Chief Justice has said he will take a decision, we should wait for that decision.”
Justice Yashwant Varma is at the center of controversy after burnt bundles of cash were discovered in an outhouse at his residence following a fire on Holi. Multiple bundles of cash were reportedly recovered from the site. Varma has denied any connection to the money, calling it part of a “conspiracy” against him. The Supreme Court has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation, recognizing its potential impact on public trust in the judiciary, and has separated Varma’s transfer from the cash discovery.
An in-house inquiry has been initiated by a committee made up of the chief justices of the Haryana and Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Karnataka High Courts. The committee is investigating the issue after a report from the Delhi High Court was made public, an unprecedented move to ensure transparency in the process.
The committee has already taken steps, including sealing the outhouse where the money was found and interviewing Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg, who initially denied the discovery of any money, only to later retract that statement. The committee has also inspected Justice Varma’s home in central Delhi. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court recently declined an urgent hearing for a petition seeking the Delhi Police to take over the investigation into the burnt cash. The petitioners also questioned the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court-appointed committee. The Chief Justice-led bench indicated the petition would be heard but not on an urgent basis.
The discovery of the cash has sparked political debate, with the Union government reaching out to all political parties on Tuesday night to discuss their views and concerns on the matter.
