Bombay Lawyers Association seeks CJI's sanction to prosecute Allahabad HC Judge Justice Varma under corruption charges

United News of India

2 days ago

New Delhi, June 3 (UNI) The Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA) has submitted a formal request to Chief Justice of India (CJI) B R Gavai seeking permission to initiate criminal proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, in relation to an alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from his official residence earlier this year.
In its representation dated June 2, the Association has requested the CJI's sanction for registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The letter, signed by BLA President Advocate Ahmed Abdi and Secretary Advocate Eknath R Dhokale, asserts that there is credible material, comprising video footage and photographic evidence, indicating the commission of a cognizable offence.
It states, 'The applicant seeks your Lordship's approval for registration of an FIR against Justice Yashwant Varma under applicable provisions of anti-corruption law, in light of the alleged seizure of unaccounted cash from his government residence.'
The letter invokes the principle of equality before the law, asserting that the judiciary, too, must be subject to legal accountability.
The BLA has pointed out that despite the reported severity of the incident, no formal FIR has yet been filed, nor has there been any official seizure memo or panchnama.
The Association has drawn attention to the landmark constitutional judgment in K Veeraswami versus Union of India (1991), where a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court held that judges are considered 'public servants' under the Prevention of Corruption Act and can be prosecuted with prior sanction from the Chief Justice of India.
Citing procedural inaction and risk of evidence tampering, the BLA has urged the CJI to take prompt steps to secure and preserve all material evidence, including partially burnt currency notes, videos, and photographs of the location in question.
The Association has also asked that either the Delhi Police or the Central Bureau of Investigation be directed to act on the matter.
The letter adds, 'Delay in initiating proceedings risks compromising key evidence. The absence of a seizure report, FIR, or panchnama raises serious concerns about transparency in the ongoing inquiry.'
The BLA has further requested access to the report of the in-house inquiry committee that was constituted following the incident.
The developments stem from an incident on March 14, 2025, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma's official government residence at 30, Tughlak Road, New Delhi.
At that time, Justice Varma was serving as a judge of the Delhi High Court. During firefighting operations, emergency services allegedly found approximately Rs 15 crore in partially burnt cash.
In response, then-CJI Justice Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member in-house inquiry committee on March 22, consisting of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana High Court), Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia (Himachal Pradesh High Court) and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka High Court)
The committee submitted its findings to the CJI on May 3, reportedly holding Justice Varma culpable.
A press release issued by the Supreme Court on May 8 confirmed that both the committee's report and Justice Varma's written response dated May 6 had been forwarded to the President and Prime Minister for further action.
Justice Varma was later transferred to the Allahabad High Court on March 28 and relieved of all judicial duties pending the inquiry's conclusion.
Earlier, a petition filed in the Supreme Court seeking immediate registration of an FIR was dismissed on May 21, with the bench holding that the plea was premature. However, the petitioners were allowed to approach the appropriate authorities.
The matter now awaits the CJI's decision on the BLA's request for prosecution sanction.
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