‘Evasive, misleading’: Parliamentary panel on Justice Varma’s testimony
The report by the committee headed by Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar was tabled in Lok Sabha Wednesday Also read Judge's testimony evasive, misleading: Parl
The report by the committee headed by Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar was tabled in Lok Sabha Wednesday Also read Judge's testimony evasive, misleading: Parl panel Join conversation View All Comments → Share your thoughts in the comments Insightful Agree Disagree Skeptical Concerning Promising Worth Reading Big Development Post Comment Be respectful · TOI community guidelines NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha Speaker appointed inquiry committee in its report has recommended further action while indicting Justice Yashwant Varma for recovery of wads of 500-rupee notes at his official residence in Delhi in March last year, its unexplained disappearance and an evasive judge failing to explain "presence, source or ownership" of the huge money.The report by the committee headed by Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar, which was tabled in LS Wednesday, recommended "such further action as may be considered in accordance with law" against Justice Varma, who withdrew from inquiry proceedings after failing to come up with convincing replies to questions put to him and, in what was seen as a move to pre-empt his removal by Parliament, resigned as Allahabad High Court judge.What shape the "action" recommended by the committee might take is not clear but sources did not rule out the possibility of Parliament initiating removal proceedings against Justice Varma despite his resignation.
A CBI inquiry was also being discussed as a possible course of action.The committee said Justice Varma's explanation for the pile of cash "remained evasive and unsatisfactory when tested against evidence of independent official witnesses and corroborative material" and returned a finding that all three charges against the judge stood proved.Justice Yashwant Varma's reply to Delhi HC Chief Justice on March 22, 2025 - a week after the fire incident that led to discovery of huge cash at his official residence - and his subsequent stand "did not exhibit the candour, transparency and institutional responsibility expected in the circumstances", the Lok Sabha Speaker appointed inquiry committee said in its 121-page, 299-paragraph report.On the judge's testimony, the committee said, "It was evasive because it did not engage with the central circumstance of substantial currency notes seen by independent officials inside the storeroom. It was incomplete because it did not disclose the factual steps allegedly taken by him, the details of inquiries made, the answers received from staff or household members, or any action taken to preserve the site...
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