In a dramatic twist to one of the judiciary’s most unsettling scandals in recent memory, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has officially dispatched a sealed dossier to the nation’s highest executive offices—a report that pulls no punches on the fire, the fortune, and the fallout surrounding Justice Yashwant Varma.
The document, born from an internal inquiry, includes not only the findings of a three-member judicial panel but also Justice Varma’s own written rebuttal. Both have now landed on the desks of the President and Prime Minister.
The storm first ignited—quite literally—on March 14, when flames tore through Justice Varma’s Delhi home. What might have been dismissed as an unfortunate domestic mishap quickly morphed into national spectacle after firefighters allegedly uncovered bundles of burning cash in the wreckage. A video showing the charred currency began circulating, fueling widespread suspicion and whispers of corruption.
At the time of the blaze, Justice Varma and his wife were reportedly out of town, traveling through Madhya Pradesh. At home were only his daughter and elderly mother. The images from that evening prompted not just outrage but a high-level probe—triggered by the CJI on March 22.
The investigative committee, composed of Chief Justices Sheel Nagu (Punjab & Haryana), GS Sandhawalia (Himachal), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Karnataka), began its work days later. After weeks of deliberation, they filed their report on May 4, which has now made its way up the constitutional ladder.
Earlier reports indicate that the committee held Justice Varma accountable, urging resignation in lieu of impeachment. Varma, maintaining innocence, has claimed he is the target of a conspiracy.
Adding further intrigue, Delhi’s Police Commissioner reportedly sent the incriminating video to the Delhi High Court’s Chief Justice, who shared it with the Supreme Court. The top court, breaking tradition, publicly released both a preliminary fact-finding report and Varma’s written defense—an unusual display of institutional transparency.
In the meantime, Justice Varma has been repatriated to his original post at the Allahabad High Court. Though he’s resumed office, he has not been assigned any judicial duties. His return sparked a backlash from the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, which staged a strike in protest.
The Supreme Court, wary of interfering with the in-house mechanism, has declined to entertain petitions demanding an FIR against the judge. Nonetheless, the courtroom drama continues behind closed doors. Sources close to the situation revealed that shortly after the probe began, a small team of high-profile lawyers—including Siddharth Agarwal, Arundhati Katju, Tara Narula, and others—visited Justice Varma’s residence, presumably to help him navigate the legal labyrinth ahead.
For now, all eyes turn to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, where the decision-makers now hold the report that could shape not just a career—but potentially shake the entire edifice of judicial accountability.
