Inquiry report on Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma tabled in Rajya Sabha

The report of an inquiry committee investigating allegations against Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma was presented in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The report, which consists of two volumes, includes oral and documentary evidence collected during the investigation. The three-member committee, which was formed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in August 2025, submitted its findings to Birla in May 2025.

The committee's investigation followed the discovery of unaccounted cash in the official residence of Justice Varma, which was reported on March 14, 2025. Firefighters responding to a fire at the residence reportedly discovered large quantities of burnt currency in a storeroom. Justice Varma has since resigned from his position, but his resignation has not yet been formally notified by the law ministry.

The in-house committee set up by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna previously found that Justice Varma had either active or tacit control over the storeroom where the cash was hidden. Over 200 MPs had signed a motion to impeach Justice Varma in July 2025, but his resignation effectively rendered the impeachment proceedings futile. According to legal experts, a judge is considered to have resigned once they submit their resignation to the President and deliver a copy to the Speaker.

Once the President formally accepts the resignation, it is notified by the Department of Justice in the Law Ministry, after which it is officially notified.