The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to urgently list a petition seeking the registration of an FIR against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court in connection with the alleged cash recovery incident at his residence.
The plea, filed by advocate Mathews J Nedumpara, was mentioned before a bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih. The bench indicated that the matter could be heard as early as Tuesday, provided all procedural defects in the petition are rectified.
“It can be listed tomorrow if the defects (in the petition) are cured,” the Chief Justice said.
The development comes after an earlier attempt to secure an urgent listing on May 14 was denied.
Calls For FIR Follow SC Committee Indictment
Nedumpara has asked the apex court to direct authorities to register a criminal case against Justice Varma, following his alleged involvement in a cash recovery controversy. The demand gained momentum after a Supreme Court-appointed in-house committee submitted a report on May 4, indicting Justice Varma based on its findings.
According to reports, the committee’s investigation into the March 14 cash discovery involved testimonies from over 45 individuals, including Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora and the chief of Delhi Fire Services.
CJI Recommends Impeachment
Following the report, the then Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna—now retired—sent a letter to the President and Prime Minister recommending impeachment proceedings against Justice Varma, who refused to resign despite being asked to do so.
A senior official from the top court, speaking anonymously, confirmed:
“Justice Varma is asked to resign, following his indictment, but he refuses.”
The former CJI enclosed the full report dated May 3, along with Justice Varma’s written response from May 6, in his communication to the Centre.
Inside The Inquiry Committee’s Probe
The inquiry panel, constituted on March 25, comprised:
Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court
Justice G.S. Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court
Justice Anu Sivaraman, Judge of Karnataka High Court
The panel examined key questions, including who owned the cash allegedly found, how it got there, why the notes weren’t shown to the judge’s family, and what happened to the visibly charred currency seen in video footage shared by Delhi Police.
Justice Varma Denies All Allegations
Justice Varma has firmly rejected the allegations. In his response, he claimed the room where the cash was supposedly discovered was an outhouse, not part of his main residence. He stated:
“I state unequivocally that no cash was ever placed in that storeroom either by me or any of my family members and strongly denounce the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged to us. The very idea or suggestion that this cash was kept or stored by us is totally preposterous… It is a room which is completely disassociated from my living areas and a boundary wall demarcates my living area from that outhouse.”
He added that the media should have verified the facts before publishing damaging reports.
What Happens Next
If procedural flaws in the petition are resolved, the Supreme Court may take up Nedumpara’s plea as early as May 21. The outcome could have major implications for judicial accountability, as Justice Varma becomes one of the rare sitting judges to face the possibility of impeachment and criminal investigation simultaneously.
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