'Charges proved': House panel indicts ex-HC judge Yashwant Varma in cash-at-home case

A Lok Sabha inquiry committee announced on Wednesday that ex-High Court Judge Yashwant Varma has been indicted in the cash-at-home case. The panel determined that Justice Varma's explanation for unaccounted cash at his official residence was evasive and unsatisfactory. The committee's report, presented to both houses of Parliament, affirmed all three charges against Varma.

These charges encompassed the discovery and possession of unexplained currency notes within official premises, failure to preserve and interfere with material evidence, and providing evasive and misleading explanations. The inquiry committee reviewed documents, electronic evidence, and testimony from witnesses. It confirmed the occurrence of a fire, the discovery of cash, the location of the storeroom within the government-provided residence, Varma's actions post-fire, and his explanation.

The report on charge one states that substantial unexplained Rs 500 denomination bills were found in the storeroom located within Varma's official residence at 30, Tughlaq Crescent, New Delhi. The committee found Varma's explanation, including his March 22, 2025 statement and subsequent remarks, lacking in candor, transparency, and institutional responsibility, as it remained evasive and unsatisfactory when scrutinized against evidence from independent officials and supplementary material.

A considerable sum of unaccounted, partially burnt currency was found in Varma's official residence's outhouse following a fire in March 2025. The discovery sparked allegations of judicial corruption, which Varma denied. An inquiry was initiated by the then Chief Justice of India, leading Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to appoint a three-member panel headed by Supreme Court Judge Aravind Kumar under the Judges (Inquiry) Act.

The inquiry motion received support from MPs spanning various political factions. Varma resigned during the inquiry, but it remains uncertain whether Parliament will act upon the committee's findings, as some legal experts contend that the Judges (Inquiry) Act can only be invoked against a serving judge.