In a significant development, Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court has submitted his resignation to the President of India just days before a parliamentary committee was scheduled to begin hearings in connection with an impeachment inquiry against him.
The committee was expected to hold daily hearings from March 13 to March 21 to examine the allegations and responses related to the case. Justice Varma’s resignation comes at a crucial stage, when the process had moved into a more detailed review of evidence and submissions.
Justice Varma tendered his resignation to the President before the impeachment proceedings were completed. He was supposed to retire in 2031.
Allegations linked to cash recovery
The inquiry traces back to a controversy involving an alleged recovery of cash linked to the judge’s residence. The matter gained attention following reports that surfaced after a fire incident, during which the cash was reportedly discovered. These claims formed the basis of questions raised about his conduct, eventually leading to the constitution of a parliamentary panel to examine whether grounds for impeachment existed.
Justice Varma’s response
In his written reply to the committee, Justice Varma strongly denied the allegations. He stated clearly that the cash allegedly recovered did not belong to him. He also said that he was not present at the time of the fire incident during which the recovery was claimed to have been made. According to his response, no such cash was recovered from his residence, and the claims being circulated were incorrect.
“Why should I be impeached if officials failed to secure the site. The police and fire department officials present failed to take action as required,” he told the panel, according to sources.
He also questioned how he could be held responsible for any alleged lapse when the site was under the control of authorities present at the time.
Justice Varma maintained that the allegations were unfounded and reiterated his position before the panel. His reply was part of the material the committee was expected to examine during its hearings.
Committee’s role and process
The parliamentary committee, set up specifically to look into the matter, has been tasked with reviewing all relevant documents, including the judge’s written response, reports related to the incident, and any supporting evidence. Over the course of the scheduled hearings, members were expected to assess the credibility of the claims and responses before arriving at their conclusions.
The proceedings are part of the constitutional mechanism available to address allegations of misconduct against judges of higher courts. An impeachment process involves multiple stages, including investigation by a committee and eventual consideration by Parliament, if the case proceeds further.
With Justice Varma now stepping down before the hearings could begin, the immediate impact on the inquiry process remains to be seen. His resignation may influence the course of proceedings, though the committee is still expected to complete its review of the material placed before it.
Formation of panel and legal challenge
In August 2025, Om Birla set up a three-member committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, to look into the allegations against Justice Yashwant Varma. The panel includes Justice Aravind Kumar, Justice Maninder Mohan, and senior advocate BV Acharaya.
Justice Varma had moved the Supreme Court of India, questioning the validity of the panel. He argued that the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha had already rejected the motion seeking his removal. However, the court dismissed his plea and allowed the committee to continue its inquiry.
Earlier, an in-house panel formed by the Supreme Court had found that Justice Varma and his family had control over the room where the cash was allegedly discovered.
With the investigation moving ahead and the possibility of impeachment becoming more real, Justice Varma has now resigned from his post.
