Bar Association Protests Justice Yashwant Verma’s Transfer to Allahabad High Court

On September 22, 2023, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association wrote to the Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna refusing the repatriation of Justice Yashwant Verma of the Delhi High Court back to his parent High Court in Allahabad, against the backdrop of the alleged recovery of huge untaxed cash stacks from his residence.

In the strongly Worded letter, they stated that they are not a trash bin and that they do oppose corruption, as reported by Live Law.

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“This decision of the collegium of the Supreme Court raises a serious question as to whether the Allahabad High Court is trash bin? This matter becomes important when we examine the current situation wherein the Allahabad High Court is short of hon’ble judges and despite the continuous problems, new judges have not appointed since last many years. It is also of grave concern that while appointing judges by elevating members of the Bar, the Bar was never consulted. Consideration of eligibility appears to be not up to the mark. Something is lacking which has resulted in corruption and consequently, a great damage has been caused to the public faith in judiciary," the letter states.

The letter states that a High Court, which is now confronted with so many problems, especially with a shortage of judges leading to fresh cases not being heard for months, is diminishing the faith of the public in the rule of law. But that does not mean that we are a thrashing bin."

Supreme Court’s Action

A Supreme Court Collegium emergency meeting on Thursday decided to have Justice Yashwant Varma transferred from the Delhi High Court back to Allahabad. Sources have maintained that the Collegium's decision came after Rs 15 crore of unaccounted cash was recovered from his official residence last week.

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The cash was seized from the official residence of Yashwant Varma after a fire occurred at his residence on Tughlak Road. Justice Varma was not in the town at that time, and his family members called the fire brigade and police. When the fire officials extinguished the fire, they found a sizable amount of cash in one of the rooms, which has triggered further investigations.

The Collegium comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna met after the unaccounted cash was recovered from Justice Varma's house and decided on the transfer of Justice Varma, informed sources to News18.

Sources claim that the Chief Justice took a very serious view of the discovery of cash, agreeing on the transfer of Justice Varma. The sitting of the Collegium had followed the receipt of adverse reports against the judge, including one from the Home Ministry.

Apart from this, the Supreme Court Collegium also initiated an in-house inquiry against Justice Yashwant Varma and sought a report from the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya.

Notably, the judge was transferred to the Delhi High Court in October 2021.

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