Latest news with #YashwantVarma
India Gazette
4 hours ago
- General
- India Gazette
Kiren Rijiju starts speaking with political parties for impeachment motion against HC Judge Yashwant Varma
New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has started speaking with various political parties for an impeachment motion against High Court judge Yashwant Varma in the next Parliament Session, government sources said on Tuesday. The Supreme Court had constituted an inquiry committee following allegations of 'burnt cash' found at a storeroom of Justice Varma's residence when he was a Judge of the Delhi High Court. The in-house inquiry committee submitted its report on the issue last month, which has since been forwarded to the Prime Minister and the President of India. 'The Parliamentary Affairs Minister has started speaking to all parties for impeachment motion against HC judge Yashwant Varma,' a source said. On May 4, a panel of judges tasked with conducting an internal inquiry into allegations of cash being discovered at Justice Yashwant Varma's official residence submitted its report to the then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. According to an official communication from the Supreme Court, the three-member committee, comprising Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Justice GS Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Justice Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the High Court of Karnataka concluded its investigation and presented its findings in a report dated May 3. The Chief Justice of India constituted this committee on March 22 to examine the allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the High Court of Delhi. On April 5, Justice Yashwant Varma was sworn in as a judge of the Allahabad High Court under unusual and contentious circumstances. CPI general secretary D Raja had said on Wednesday that credibility of judiciary needs to be restored and his party will support the action against Justice Varma. 'Let them bring the impeachment motion. The Judiciary should understand that it has to work within the framework of the Constitution... To restore the credibility of our judiciary, there must be some strong action. We will support the impeachment motion. But the point is, when will it be brought? We raised several critical questions about the money found in the judge's residence, but concrete action has been delayed... Our party will participate in the debate before the Parliament when this issue is discussed,' Raja told ANI. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar had last month referred to the cash-discovery row, saying there is no FIR to date. 'We're confronted with the jarring reality. A judge's residence in Lutyens Delhi had burnt notes. There is no FIR to in the country is now thinking whether this will be washed off or fade with time, and they are really concerned. How come the criminal justice system was not operationalised as it would have been done for every other individual?... This issue for which people are waiting with bated breath, the money trail, its source, its purpose,' Dhankhar said at an event in the national capital. 'Did it pollute the judicial system? Who are the bigger sharks? We need to find out. Already two months have gone by. An investigation is required to be conducted with expedition. So is the case with the registration of an FIR. I do hope and believe that the Supreme Court acted the very best so far because it had a legacy issue of judgments imparted in the nineties,' he added. He lauded some of the steps taken by the Supreme Court. 'But now is the time to take a call. Partly the confidence has been restored by Justice Khanna. When you put in public domain documentation which people thought will never be shown to them. That was a big step by him to project accountability and transparency. If democratic values have to prosper, I am sure this is a test case. There must be a swift investigation by those concerned with the investigation,' the Vice President said. (ANI)
News18
4 hours ago
- General
- News18
'Even Judges Aren't Above Scrutiny': CJI BR Gavai Urges Swift Action On Misconduct
Last Updated: The comments hold significance as Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court is, in all likelihood, about to face impeachment proceedings Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Tuesday underscored the pressing need for integrity, transparency, and swift action when addressing allegations of judicial impropriety. '…the path to rebuilding this trust lies in the swift, decisive, and transparent action taken to address and resolve these issues," said CJI Gavai, addressing the issue of judicial misconduct. The CJI said that every system, no matter how robust, is susceptible to issues of professional misconduct. 'Sadly, there have been instances of corruption and misconduct that have surfaced even within the judiciary. Such occurrences inevitably have a negative impact on public confidence, potentially eroding faith in the integrity of the system as a whole," said Justice Gavai while delivering a powerful address at the UK Supreme Court Roundtable titled 'Maintaining Judicial Legitimacy and Public Confidence". Justice Gavai added that when such instances have come to light in India, the Supreme Court has consistently taken immediate and appropriate measures to address the misconduct. The comments of Justice Gavai hold larger significance as Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court is, in all likelihood, about to face impeachment proceedings. The development comes after Justice Varma was indicted by a Supreme Court-appointed probe panel upon the discovery of a huge sum of burnt cash from his official residence in the national capital. Gavai also used the platform to highlight several proactive steps taken by the Indian judiciary to build public trust. Referring to transparency initiatives, he noted that judges of the Supreme Court have begun voluntarily disclosing their assets. 'Judges, as public functionaries, are accountable to the people," he said. He emphasised the importance of accessibility and public communication, mentioning the live-streaming of Constitution Bench hearings and the e-SCR portal, which offers free access to Supreme Court judgments. 'This initiative greatly benefits law students, researchers, and citizens by enabling one-click access to court rulings," he said. Touching upon judicial appointments, CJI Gavai reaffirmed the importance of keeping the process free from executive influence. 'There may be criticisms of the collegium system, but any solution must not come at the cost of judicial independence," he stressed. The Chief Justice concluded by cautioning that legitimacy is not commanded but earned. 'In today's digital era, where information flows freely and perceptions are rapidly shaped, the judiciary must rise to the challenge of being accessible, intelligible, and answerable—without compromising its independence," he said. First Published: June 04, 2025, 01:45 IST
United News of India
5 hours ago
- General
- United News of India
Bombay Lawyers Association seeks CJI's sanction to prosecute Allahabad HC Judge Justice Varma under corruption charges
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. UNI SNG SS
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma in next Parliament session: Govt sources
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The government is set to move an impeachment motion against Allahabad High Court's Justice Yashwant Varma in Parliament and will seek to build an all-party consensus for action against the judge facing allegations of corruption after the discovery of a large amount of cash from his official residence in sources on Tuesday said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has begun consultations as part of efforts to get leaders of different parties on board for the impeachment motion against Varma following his indictment by a three-member probe committee constituted by the Supreme Court.A fire incident at Varma's residence in the national capital in March this year, when he was a judge at the Delhi High Court, had led to the discovery of several burnt sacks of cash at the Varma claimed ignorance about the cash, the Supreme Court-appointed committee indicted him after speaking to a number of witnesses and recording his then Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, is believed to have prodded him to resign but Varma dug in his heels. The apex court has since transferred him to his parent cadre of the Allahabad High Court, where he has not been assigned any judicial then wrote to the President and the Prime Minister, recommending the impeachment motion, which is the procedure for axing members of the higher judiciary from monsoon session is expected to begin around the third week of July when the government will move the motion against him, sources impeachment motion has to be brought in the Lok Sabha as well as the Rajya Sabha, and will need the support of two-thirds of the MPs for least 50 members in the Rajya Sabha and 100 in the Lok Sabha have to sign the motion before it is admitted by the motion is moved by the Law Minister, and the government will seek signatures and subsequent support of members of different parties, including the opposition, to send a message of united parliamentary resolve against alleged judicial corruption after the sensational videos of burnt cash at Varma's house sent shockwaves through the country and its motion is first introduced in one House and is then admitted in the other House only after the procedural formalities are successfully completed there. So far, there have been only two instances of Parliament taking up the impeachment motion, a constitutional necessity to remove a sitting high court or Supreme Court Supreme Court judge V Ramaswami was the first to face it for alleged misuse of public fund, but the motion could not get the required support in Parliament in Sen of the Calcutta High Court resigned in 2011 after the Rajya Sabha passed an impeachment motion against him, rendering the exercise irrelevantOpposition members were vocal in the last session of Parliament in seeking action against Varma after the cash discovery incident hit headlines, while the government waited for the Supreme Court to firm up its stand on the apex court had set up a three-member committee of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Justice G S Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Justice Anu Sivaraman, Judge of the High Court of Karnataka, for the inquiry into the allegations committee submitted its report to the Chief Justice of India on May 4, and its findings have not been officially disclosed yet.
India Today
9 hours ago
- General
- India Today
Impeachment motion to be brought against Yashwant Varma in next Parliament session
A motion will be tabled in the next session of Parliament to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma, who was transferred to the Allahabad High Court after a huge stash of cash was found at his Delhi residence during a fire incident in March, sources told India Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju will be speaking to all the parties about the matter before the Monsoon Session of Parliament convenes, they came after the inquiry report into Justice Yashwant Varma said he failed to provide an explanation of the source of the money and the allegations of misconduct were serious enough to seek his impeachment. The Supreme Court-appointed committee said that he only gave a "flat denial" and alleged conspiracy against him."The factum of the burnt cash having been found in the store room was undeniably established and, therefore, the burden shifted upon Justice Varma to account for the said cash by giving a plausible explanation which he failed to do except projecting a case of flat denial and raising a plea of conspiracy," the report report, details of which were accessed by India Today, said several stacks of burnt notes, reportedly as high as 1.5 feet, were found scattered across the storeroom of Justice Varma's Delhi cash pile was discovered at the judge's official residence when a fire broke out there on March 14. Justice Varma was not at his residence then. Subsequently, the Supreme Court transferred him from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court, but he has not been assigned this month, the then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna wrote to the President and the Prime Minister, forwarding the report of a three-member committee investigating the allegations against Justice to the in-house procedure for High Court judges, the Chief Justice approaches the President and the Prime Minister only in one specific circumstance: when the inquiry committee finds the allegations serious enough to warrant the initiation of removal proceedings, and the judge in question refuses to resign IS THE IMPEACHMENT PROCEDURE?The procedure for impeaching a High Court judge is governed by the Constitution of India and the Judges (Inquiry) Act, the Constitution, a judge can be removed only on grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity, through a motion passed by both Houses of Constitution states that a judge shall not be removed except by an order of the President, passed after an address by each House of Parliament, supported by:A majority of the total membership of that House, andA majority of not less than two-thirds of the members of that House present and address must be presented to the President during the same parliamentary STEPS IN PARLIAMENTIf the judge is found not guilty: No further steps are taken. The pending motion is the judge is found guilty: The motion, along with the committee report, is considered by the House(s) in which it is both Houses adopt the motion with the required majorities, the misbehaviour or incapacity of the judge is deemed address for the judge's removal is then presented to the President in the same Watch
