CJI starts process to remove HC judge Varma, writes to Prez, PM

Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna on Thursday initiated the process for the removal of sitting high court judge, justice Yashwant Varma, by writing to the President of India Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that the allegations of recovery of cash at the judge's residence is serious and warrants initiation of proceedings for his removal under the Constitution.

- Abraham Thomas

If Varma is removed, he will the first judge of a constitutional court to be.

On May 5, a three-member in-house enquiry committee submitted its report to the CJI confirming that cash was indeed found at the residence of justice Varma, then a sitting Delhi high court judge. This cash was kept in a storeroom where a fire broke out March 14, following which fire service officials and police, engaged in dousing the flames, discovered half-burnt currency notes stacked in a sack. The police even recorded a video of the cash.

The committee's findings were forwarded by the CJI to justice Varma for his response.

In his covering letter, the CJI pointed out that justice Varma has the option to resign from office or seek voluntary retirement. Justice Varma is currently a judge of the Allahabad high court and on the CJI's instruction, no judicial work is being assigned to him.

A press release issued on Thursday by the Supreme Court confirmed that justice Varma filed his response on May 6. HT learns that in his response, he has stuck to his earlier position denying recovery of cash and refusing to step down.