'Before addressing the writ of mandamus ...': Supreme Court declines plea for FIR against Justice Yashwant Varma in cash recovery row
Justice Yashwant Varma (File photo)
NEW DELHI: The
Supreme Court
on Wednesday refused to entertain a plea seeking the registration of an FIR against
Justice Yashwant Varma
following the discovery of a large sum of
half-burnt cash
at his official residence in Delhi.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan noted that a press release issued by the Supreme Court on May 8 had already recorded that the Chief Justice of India had forwarded the report of an in-house inquiry committee-along with the judge's response -- to both the President and the Prime Minister of India.
"Before seeking the writ of mandamus, the petitioner will have to seek redressal of their grievance by filing representation before the appropriate authorities. Therefore, we decline to entertain this writ petition. At this stage it is not necessary to look into the other prayers," the bench observed.
The petition was filed by advocate Mathews Nedumpara and three others, who demanded immediate criminal proceedings against Justice Varma.
They argued that the in-house panel had found the allegations against him prima facie credible, and that internal judicial mechanisms should not prevent a proper
criminal investigation
under Indian law.
The controversy dates back to March 14, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence. In its aftermath, large amounts of cash were discovered, prompting swift action from the Supreme Court Collegium.
Justice Varma was subsequently transferred from the
Delhi high court
to the Allahabad high court.
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However, Allahabad HC's Bar association raised voice against this decision of top court.
Following the internal probe, then-CJI Sanjiv Khanna reportedly asked Justice Varma to resign. When he refused, Justice Khanna formally communicated the committee's findings and Varma's response to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The same group of petitioners had earlier approached the apex court in March, challenging the legitimacy of the in-house inquiry and pressing for a formal police probe.
That plea was dismissed at the time as premature, given that the internal proceedings were still under way.
With the inquiry now concluded, the petitioners argued that further delay in initiating criminal proceedings was unjustified. However, the court declined to intervene, directing the petitioners to approach the appropriate authorities for further action.
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