Varmas controlled room with cash stash: Panel

Three-member committee upheld charges of judge's misconduct

- SUCHITRA KALYAN MOHANTY @ New Delhi

A three-judge panel found the charges of financial misconduct against High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma valid, as he and his family members had "covert or active control" over a storeroom in his official residence in New Delhi, where sacks of half-burnt cash were found a few months ago.

The in-house committee in its report went on to suggest his removal from the judiciary. Contents of the 64-page report surfaced for the first time on Thursday.

Acting on the report, former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna wrote to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi recommending Justice Varma's impeachment.

Then a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, Justice Varma was later transferred to the Allahabad High Court.