The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday agreed to examine a petition seeking a directive for the Delhi Police to lodge an FIR concerning the alleged discovery of a semi-burnt stash of cash from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma. The alleged discovery followed a fire at Justice Varma’s residence in Lutyens Delhi on the night of March 14, 2025.
The matter was brought before a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna by Advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, who requested an urgent hearing of the plea. The bench, while acknowledging the petition, advised the lawyer to check with the registry regarding the date of the hearing.
The petition, filed on March 23, 2025, was backed by Nedumpara and three other advocates. It challenges the 1991 Supreme Court judgment in the K Veeraswami case, which established that no criminal proceedings could be initiated against a sitting judge of the High Court or the Supreme Court without the prior approval of the Chief Justice of India. The petitioners argue that this provision violates the constitutional principle of equality before the law and raises serious concerns about judicial accountability.
The plea calls for a declaration that the discovery of the large sum of money, allegedly found by the fire brigade and police during their efforts to extinguish the blaze, constitutes a cognizable offence. It further contends that the police are duty-bound to register an FIR in connection with the incident, citing that the principle of equality before the law is fundamental to the Indian Constitution.
During the hearing, the petitioner expressed appreciation to the Chief Justice for making all documents, including a video related to the matter, public. However, the bench advised the lawyer to refrain from making further public statements, assuring him that a hearing date would be set for the petition.
As part of the ongoing developments, the Supreme Court had already constituted an in-house committee to conduct an inquiry into the allegations. In the interim, the CJI also ordered that Justice Varma be de-rostered from judicial work until further notice, with Delhi High Court Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya instructed not to assign him any new judicial responsibilities.
On Monday, the Supreme Court collegium, led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna, recommended that the Centre repatriate Justice Varma to his parent High Court in Allahabad. Justice Varma had been transferred to the Delhi High Court in 2021. The recommendation follows growing concerns regarding the controversy surrounding the discovery of cash at his residence.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, three members of the in-house committee appointed by the Supreme Court visited Justice Varma’s residence in Delhi to initiate their inquiry into the alleged cash discovery. The committee’s findings are expected to provide further clarity on the matter in the coming weeks.