New Delhi:
Allahabad High Court lawyers will go on an indefinite strike to protest the Supreme Court Collegium’s decision to return to them Justice Yashwant Varma – the Delhi High Court judge from whose bungalow in the city a pile of burnt cash was reportedly recovered on Holi.
Justice Varma was previously an additional judge, and then a judge, at the Allahabad High Court, serving from 2014 till his transfer to Delhi in October 2021.
“The Chief Justice of India has been requested not to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court, or any other court, because no court is a dumping ground. He should remain in Delhi under the close watch of the Supreme Court until proceedings are completed,” Anil Tiwari, the President of the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, told reporters.
“… also, all judgments by Justice Varma should be reviewed to infuse public confidence again,” he said, as he also called for an inquiry by the CBI and Enforcement Directorate.
#WATCH | Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma row | Prayagraj, UP: Anil Tiwari, President of Allahabad High Court Bar Association says, “The CJI has been requested not to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma in Allahabad High Court or any other court because no court is a… pic.twitter.com/hTg85B7E1q
— ANI (@ANI) March 24, 2025
This is the second time the group has opposed Justice Varma’s transfer; last week, hours after news he might return, the Association declared the Allahabad High Court is not a “trash bin”.
Earlier today the Supreme Court issued orders for the transfer of Justice Varma.
The transfer will go through once the union government greenlights the move.
The transfer had been proposed on March 20; this was shortly after the money was found.
Responding to reports linking the two, the Supreme Court said Justice Varma’s return to his parent court had nothing to do with the controversy and that a three-member panel – consisting of the chief justices of three high courts – would conduct an in-house inquiry.
The controversy surrounding the judge broke last week after reports of burnt piles of money were found in an outhouse on the grounds of the bungalow allotted to him.
Justice Varma denied any link between himself or any member of his family and the money and declared himself “shocked”. He said the outhouse is “disconnected from the main residence” and is kept unlocked, meaning it can be accessed by anybody with access to the grounds.
A report by Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya has been made public by the Supreme Court – an unprecedented action, many have said – in the interests of transparency.
