Justice Yashwant Varma Moves Supreme Court Against Misconduct Findings, Calls It a Conspiracy

New Delhi: Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma has approached the Supreme Court, challenging the findings of a judicial in-house inquiry panel that found him guilty of misconduct and recommended his impeachment. He has described the entire episode as a targeted conspiracy and demanded the findings be quashed.

The controversy began with a fire incident at Justice Varma’s official residence in Delhi on the night of March 14–15. During firefighting operations, officials reportedly discovered bundles of burnt ₹500 currency notes in the storeroom, raising alarm bells and prompting further investigation. The incident led the Supreme Court to constitute a three-judge in-house panel to probe the circumstances.

The panel conducted a thorough inquiry, which included forensic examination, statements from 55 witnesses, and reports from the fire department. It concluded that Justice Varma and his family were either directly or indirectly responsible for hoarding the cash and possibly trying to destroy evidence post-incident.

On May 8, then-Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna submitted the inquiry panel’s findings to the President and the Prime Minister, formally recommending Justice Varma’s impeachment — a move that is rarely invoked in Indian judicial history.

However, Justice Varma has denied all charges. In his petition to the Supreme Court, he claimed that he has been falsely implicated and that the panel’s findings were biased and based on flawed procedures. Calling the move politically and institutionally motivated, he demanded a fresh, fair investigation into the matter, along with a review of his full judicial record.

He also highlighted his unblemished service of over a decade, stating that there had never been any allegations of impropriety during his tenure. Stressing that the legal fraternity widely respected his honesty and impartiality, Justice Varma argued that the inquiry was neither objective nor transparent, and that his reputation and contributions deserved a more balanced evaluation.