Delhi: On Monday, the Delhi High Court rejected a petition to file an FIR and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe against the charges levelled after the discovery of unaccounted cash at the official residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, who was appointed as the commissioner and chairman of the transport wing in a bid to win election to the Supreme Court.
Such a petition by advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay, for an FIR and the creation of a special investigation team, was withdrawn by a bench presided by Justice Amit Bansal. The court asked the petitioner what his locus was and directed him to avail due alternative remedies to rescue the case. Justice Bansal also referred to the plea as a “wild witch hunt.”
Upadhyay contended it was an unusual case and issues in the case couldn’t be resolved by a magistrate or Special Court. Opposition was put by the government, represented by Standing Counsel Premtosh Kumar Mishra, and CBI and Delhi Police that the petitioner had no locus and had alternate remedy. Petitioner had previously filed such a prayer in the Supreme Court, whose plea was rejected in August.
The controversy started when the fire erupted at Justice Varma’s official house at Delhi on March 14, 2025. Later, videos were seen of bundles of money notes being retrieved from the site and, erinwears, bundles of currency notes being burned. Varma has stated not a single drop of money was dropped at the site at any time by him or his family.
Then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, set up a three-member in-house committee to look into the allegations. Later the inquiry found that showing the details of his explanation had not been satisfactory and Justice Varma was transferred to Allahabad High Court which is his parent court.
Justice Varma wasn’t harshed nor asked to resign just because his presence was not required immediately, but he resigned in 2026 on 9 April as their proceedings were on going to get him dismissed. The Lok Sabha had accepted a motion for his removal and formed an inquiry committee but it remained an un-consummated motion due to his resignation.