Supreme Court Dismisses Plea for SIT Probe Into Ex-Delhi HC Judge

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition seeking a court-monitored probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the 'burnt currency' incident involving former Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma.

The incident dates back to March 14, when a fire at Varma's house allegedly led to the recovery of unaccounted cash. Varma and his wife were travelling in Madhya Pradesh at the time, while his daughter and aged mother were at home when the fire broke out.

A video subsequently surfaced showing bundles of cash burning in the fire, triggering allegations of corruption against Varma. He denied the accusations and said it appeared to be a conspiracy to frame him.

The controversy quickly moved beyond the alleged cash recovery, raising serious questions within the judiciary and prompting an institutional response from the Chief Justice of India.

The Chief Justice of India initiated an in-house inquiry into the allegations and constituted a three-member committee on March 22. The committee comprised Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia, and Karnataka High Court Justice Anu Sivaraman.

It began its inquiry on March 25 and submitted its report to then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on May 4. After receiving the committee's report, the CJI asked Varma to resign or face removal proceedings.

Varma declined to step down at that stage, following which the CJI forwarded the report and the judge's response to the President of India.

The petitioner, Ghanshyam Upadhayay, argued that Varma's resignation from office did not erase any criminal liability arising from the alleged recovery of unaccounted money from his residence.

However, the Supreme Court Bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Aradhe described the petition as an attempt at 'cheap publicity' and declined to entertain it.

The court's sharp observation brought an abrupt end to another attempt to seek a criminal investigation into the cash allegedly recovered following a fire at Varma's residence.

The dismissal is significant because the controversy surrounding Varma has already led to an in-house judicial inquiry and proceedings for his removal.

The latest petition sought to take the matter into the realm of a criminal investigation, but the Supreme Court declined to allow that route through this plea.

The Supreme Court's decision highlights the judiciary's commitment to upholding the law and preventing frivolous petitions from undermining the integrity of the judicial process.

In conclusion, the Supreme Court's dismissal of the petition seeking a SIT probe into the 'burnt currency' incident involving former Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma is a significant development in the ongoing controversy surrounding the judge's resignation and alleged corruption.

The decision underscores the importance of ensuring that the judiciary remains immune to external pressures and frivolous petitions, and that the law is upheld in a fair and impartial manner.