New Delhi, May 20: The Supreme Court will hear on Wednesday a plea seeking criminal prosecution of Justice Yashwant Varma, following the controversial discovery of a large amount of burnt and partially burnt cash at a storeroom attached to his official bungalow in Delhi after a fire broke out there on March 14.
As per the causelist released by the apex court, a bench comprising Justices Abhay S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan will take up the matter on May 21. The plea, filed by advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara, argues that criminal proceedings under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita must be initiated, alleging the cash found was bribe money.
The petition contends that impeachment alone would not be sufficient if the judge has amassed illicit wealth. It emphasizes the seriousness of the matter, stating, “When the defender of justice becomes the accused, the offence is far graver.”
Earlier attempts to secure an urgent hearing were declined by the Supreme Court, with the petitioner directed to follow standard mentioning procedures. Nedumpara had initially requested the matter be heard on May 20, but it was rescheduled to May 21 due to his unavailability.
The Supreme Court has already constituted an in-house inquiry, and a three-member committee report was forwarded earlier this month to the President and Prime Minister by the then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna. Amid the ongoing probe, Justice Varma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court.
The plea also raises questions about the delay in filing an FIR and the absence of immediate criminal proceedings, suggesting a possible cover-up. The in-house inquiry remains ongoing, with the court yet to decide on initiating formal criminal proceedings.
