All Parties Back Impeachment of Justice Varma as Judicial Corruption Scandal Escalates

All Parties Back Impeachment of Justice Varma as Judicial Corruption Scandal Escalates

As the Parliament’s Monsoon Session looms, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that all political parties, including Congress, support an impeachment motion against Varma, signaling a unified stance against judicial corruption.

By RMN News Service

NEW DELHI, July 20, 2025 – A fire at the official residence of Allahabad High Court Justice Yashwant Varma has ignited a firestorm of controversy, exposing deep-seated issues within India’s judiciary. 

On March 14, 2025, Delhi Fire Services, responding to a blaze at Varma’s Tughlaq Crescent bungalow, discovered sacks of charred and semi-burnt currency notes, estimated to be worth crores, hidden in an outhouse storeroom. The shocking find has thrust the Indian judiciary into the spotlight, raising questions about systemic corruption and the pervasive “bribe-for-bail” culture.

The incident, which occurred while Justice Varma was in Madhya Pradesh, prompted swift action from the Supreme Court. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna ordered an in-house inquiry, and a three-member panel, comprising Justices Sheel Nagu, G.S. Sandhawalia, and Anu Sivaraman, was formed to investigate. 

The panel’s May 3 report concluded that the cash, primarily in ₹500 notes, was unaccounted for, and Varma and his family had access to the storeroom, implicating the judge in serious misconduct. Despite Varma’s denial of any knowledge of the money and claims of a conspiracy to frame him, the inquiry recommended his impeachment, a rare and drastic measure.

[ न्यायपालिका में ‘जमानत के लिए रिश्वत’ का मुद्दा: ऑडियो विश्लेषण ]

The Supreme Court’s response was unprecedented in its transparency. Videos and photographs of the burnt currency were released. However, Varma’s transfer back to the Allahabad High Court and the decision to withhold judicial work from him sparked outrage from the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, which protested the move, calling their institution “not a trash bin.”

The controversy escalated when CJI Khanna, on May 8, forwarded the inquiry report to the President and Prime Minister, urging Varma’s removal. Varma, in a bold counter-move, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on July 17, challenging the inquiry’s legality and alleging a presumption of guilt. As the Parliament’s Monsoon Session looms, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that all political parties, including Congress, support an impeachment motion against Varma, signaling a unified stance against judicial corruption.

The case has reignited debates over the judiciary’s accountability mechanisms. Critics argue that the government’s swift action against Varma contrasts with its inaction on other judicial misconduct cases, suggesting a selective agenda to undermine the collegium system. 

The incident also recalls past scandals, such as the 2012 cash-for-bail case involving CBI Special Judge Talluri Pattabhirama Rao and the 2019 investigation against Justice Narain Shukla, highlighting a recurring pattern of alleged corruption.

With over 5 crore pending cases clogging India’s courts, systemic issues like case backlogs and lack of transparency in judicial appointments fuel opportunities for misconduct. The Justice Varma case, now a litmus test for judicial reform, underscores the urgent need for an independent oversight body and public disclosure of judges’ assets to restore public trust in India’s judiciary. 

As the nation awaits Parliament’s decision, the saga continues to challenge the delicate balance between judicial independence and accountability.