‘Impeach Justice Varma … will not tolerate transfer’: Allahabad HC Bar chief on cash row | India News
NEW DELHI: The Allahabad HC Bar association has strongly opposed the Supreme Court’s decision to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma from Delhi high court to Allahabad high court, amid the recovery of a substantial amount of cash from his official residence after a fire incident on March 14.
After a general house meeting in Prayagraj on Monday, Anil Tiwari, Allahabad HC Bar president, condemned the move and demanded further action. “We have passed 11 proposals. First, we will not tolerate his (Justice Yashwant Varma) transfer here under any circumstances; it did not happen today, nor should it happen in the future,” he said.
He further urged the CJI to allow investigating agencies to take action. “We request the Chief Justice of India to permit the CBI and ED to file an FIR against him and conduct a trial, as is done for any political leader or bureaucrat, since the incident is not part of any judicial function.”
Tiwari also called for impeachment proceedings against Justice Varma. “We have requested the government to initiate the impeachment process, which should proceed as soon as possible to prevent any attempts to destroy evidence. We have also questioned the appointment system, stating that it is unfair. The collegium system only provides opportunities to well-connected individuals.”
The Supreme Court Collegium, led by the CJI Sanjiv Khanna along with four senior-most judges, issued a resolution recommending Justice Varma’s transfer back to his parent court, the Allahabad high court.
The Collegium reviewed the transfer proposal on March 20. The top court has clarified that the transfer is unrelated to the in-house inquiry initiated by the Chief Justice of the Delhi high court regarding the cash recovery.
‘Step in the right direction’: Dhankhar praises CJI
Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar praised CJI Khanna for upholding judicial transparency amid the ongoing controversy.
Dhankhar mentioned that, for the first time since Independence, a Chief Justice has publicly disclosed all relevant material without withholding any information.
“This is a step in the right direction. The formation of a committee by the Chief Justice and his vigilance are also noteworthy. Institutions like the judiciary and legislature function best when their internal mechanisms are efficient, prompt, and uphold public trust,” he added.
‘Not a trash bin’
This is not the first time the Allahabad HC Bar association has opposed the transfer. Last week, it wrote to Chief Justice Arun Bhansali, stating that the Allahabad HC is “not a trash bin.” The association linked the decision to broader concerns about the judicial appointment and transfer system, arguing that it had weakened public faith in the rule of law.
Justice Yashwant Varma, in his response to the inquiry panel, has denied any wrongdoing, calling the allegations an attempt to malign him. In a letter to the Chief Justice of the Delhi HC, he stated that neither he nor his family had any connection to the cash allegedly discovered at the site.
