Cash Found at Delhi HC Judge’s Residence During Fire; SC Collegium Orders Immediate Transfer

Justice Yashwant Verma transferred to Allahabad High Court after unaccounted cash discovered in official bungalow; Collegium considers further action, judiciary left shaken.

New Delhi, March 21, 2025:
In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through the judiciary, a large sum of unaccounted cash was found in the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Verma during the Holi vacation. The discovery has prompted the Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, to unanimously order his transfer back to the Allahabad High Court.

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Sources revealed that the cash was discovered after a fire broke out at Justice Verma’s government-allotted bungalow in Delhi. While the judge was reportedly out of town, his family called emergency services for help. Upon arrival, fire department officials alerted the police after discovering suspicious amounts of cash.

The matter was quickly escalated to the Chief Justice and the five-member Collegium, which took a “very serious view” of the incident. Justice Verma has not yet commented on the issue and, according to sources, was on leave and did not preside over court proceedings today.

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While the Collegium has so far decided on transferring the judge, internal discussions are reportedly ongoing about stronger disciplinary action. Some members have expressed the need for an internal inquiry and even hinted at asking Justice Verma to resign — failure to do so could initiate a formal removal process via Parliament under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

Judiciary “Demoralised”: Delhi HC Chief Justice Reacts

Chief Justice of Delhi High Court DK Upadhyaya addressed the matter in open court when senior advocate Arun Bhardwaj mentioned it. “Today’s incident has pained many of us. Please take steps on the administrative side to ensure such incidents don’t happen again,” Bhardwaj said. Justice Upadhyaya acknowledged that the judiciary was “shaken and demoralised.”

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What Happens If a High Court Judge Is Found Guilty?

In 1999, the Supreme Court framed guidelines for dealing with allegations of misconduct against constitutional court judges. According to these, if the Chief Justice finds the initial response from the judge unsatisfactory, a three-member internal inquiry committee—comprising a Supreme Court judge and two Chief Justices of High Courts—is formed.

If the committee’s findings are serious, the Chief Justice may ask for the judge’s resignation. If the judge refuses, the Chief Justice may request the government to initiate the removal process through Parliament.

Kapil Sibal: “Appointment Process Needs Reform”

Reacting strongly to the incident, senior advocate and MP Kapil Sibal called for urgent reform in the judicial appointment system. “This is not the first time such concerns about corruption in the judiciary have been raised,” he said. “The Collegium system needs more transparency, and steps must be taken to prevent such incidents from repeating.”

He further added, “Despite what the Prime Minister claims, corruption has increased. It’s time the judiciary starts looking inward.”

This episode, involving a senior judge and large sums of unaccounted cash, raises serious concerns over the transparency and integrity of the Indian judicial system, even as it tries to preserve public trust.

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