Cash Plot Against Judge Yashwant Varma : A Conspiracy Unraveled

Background

Having practiced law since 1992 mostly at the Allahabad High Court, Justice Yashwant Varma has a strong legal history handling various areas including constitutional, labor, and corporate law. Appointed an additional judge in the Allahabad High Court in 2014, he became permanent in 2016, and moved to the Delhi High Court in 2021. His participation in eleven committees—including chairing the Delhi International Arbitration Centre—showcases his knowledge and administrative sense. His acute legal acumen is shown in his court rulings on copyright questions and bail granted to Dr. Kafeel Khan.

The Controversy and Charges

Controversy erupted when a fire at Justice Varma’s Delhi house claimed to have unearthed Rs 15 crore in cash. The Supreme Court Collegium advised his return to Allahabad High Court, and investigation was started. Media sources claimed unaccounted money, however Justice Varma disputes this, saying the fire happened in an outhouse for used goods with no cash kept inside.

The Reasons He Might Get Trapped

Given his position as the second senior-most judge and a collegium member, it seems possible that his relocation could be connected to impacting court nominations. An X post implies this could be a plot to remove him so the collegium may choose judges recommended by the government. His denial and the timing—close to the May 11, 2025 retirement of CJI Khanna—with 24 Delhi High Court vacancies—support this theory.
Note on Survey: In support of Justice Yashwant Varma Between Conflict

Respected Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma has lately found himself at the heart of a scandal endangering his image and casting doubts on the court’s integrity. While supporting an honest and open inquiry, this letter seeks to examine his past, the accusations against him, his reaction, and the likelihood of a conspiracy. With the present date, March 23, 2025, and the continuous investigation under consideration, this study aims to provide a complete picture supporting Justice Varma and revealing the possible manipulation underlie the debate.

Background and Integrity of Justice Yashwant Varma

Legal career of Justice Yashwant Varma is defined by intelligence and commitment. Born in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), on January 6, 1969, he studied a B.Com. (Honours) at Hansraj College in Delhi University and an LL.B at Rewa University, Madhya Pradesh. Originally registered as an advocate in 1992, he handled a broad spectrum of issues including constitutional law, industrial disputes, corporate law, taxation, and environmental law mostly at the Allahabad High Court. Later on, the Allahabad High Court named him a senior advocate in August 2013 after he was Chief Standing Counsel for the State of Uttar Pradesh from 2012 to August 2013 and special counsel for the court from 2006.

Rising as an additional judge at the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014, and swearing oaths as a permanent judge on February 1, 2016, Justice Varma’s career developed to lead to his appointment at the Delhi High Court on October 11, 2021. Among at least 11 committees at Delhi HC, he has served on the “administrative and general supervision committee” and the “Committee for Finance and Budgeting and for sanction of contingent expenditure and writing off losses exceeding Rs 5 lakh.”

Showing his administrative intelligence and leadership, he chairs the Delhi HC Legal Services Committee and the Arbitration Committee of the Delhi International Arbitration Centre. His court rulings underline even more his intelligence. Notable cases include granting bail to Dr. Kafeel Khan in 2018 after seven months of incarceration, rejecting the Congress party’s plea against tax reassessment proceedings in March 2024 (involving Rs 520 crores), refusing to interfere in Airports Authority of India petitions against arbitral awards in October 2024 under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, ruling gold as a prohibited import under the Customs Act, 1962 in 2023, upholding Satyajit Ray’s copyright for “Nayak” in 2023, and clarifying gun ownership laws under the Arms Act, 1959 in 2022 (limiting ownership to two firearms). These rulings show a judge committed to justice and with great legal knowledge.

The Conflict and Claims

The dispute started on March 14, 2025, during the Holi break when a fire broke out at Delhi’s official residence for Justice Varma. Media reports, citing police and fire brigade sources, reported that firefighters found a sizable cash pile— estimated by the Allahabad High Court Bar Association to be roughly Rs 15 crore—stashed in a corner of the outhouse. This resulted in formal announcements regarding the recovery of apparently unrecorded money. While Justice Varma was out of town, the incident caused his family to call emergency services, so involving high government officials and finally Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna.

Concerns about the court’s reputation led the Supreme Court Collegium, on March 20, 2025, to suggest Justice Varma’s return to the Allahabad High Court, where he would be eighth in seniority. On March 21, 2025, the Supreme Court released a statement stating that the transfer was unrelated to an internal investigation started by Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya, who gathered facts and evidence. Following a report on March 21, 2025, the CJI formed a three-member panel headed by Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, including Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia, and Karnataka High Court judge Justice Anu Sivaraman—to investigate the allegations by March 22, 2025. Justice Varma did not hold court on March 21, 2025; he was instructed not to start judicial activities until much more notice.

Justice Varma’s Denial and Reaction

Justice Varma has declared unequivocally that the accusations are a ploy to discredit him. Responding to Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya, reported on March 23, 2025, he explained that no cash was kept in his main house or by him or his family; the fire started in an outhouse used for storing trash rather than in his house. Noting that no money was shown or taken during inspections, he attacked media coverage for dubious assertions. Further refuting the claims was his citation of a March 16, 2025, report by the Registrar cum Secretary of the Delhi High Court that made no reference of cash recovery. Deeply troubled Justice Varma said, “In the life of a judge, nothing matters more than reputation and character. Emphasizing the personal and professional cost of the conflict, that has been drastically tarnished and permanently destroyed.

Potential Conspiracy and Why He Could Get Trapped

Given Justice Varma’s position as second senior-most judge in the Delhi High Court and a member of its collegium, the timing and nature of the accusations point to a possible conspiracy. Responsible for approving judicial appointments, a process sometimes divisive between the court and the executive, the Delhi High Court collegium consists of the Chief Justice (Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, appointed January 21, 2025) and the two senior-most judges.

Noting that CJI Sanjiv Khanna retires on May 11, 2025, with 24 openings in the Delhi High Court, an X post from a user shared in the context of this search points to this maybe as a fixed plot to remove Justice Varma. Along with two other collegium members, Justice Varma, Delhi HC Chief Justice D K Upadhyay—recently moved from Allahabad to Bombay and subsequently to Delhi—is a moral manger.

According to the post, money was sent at his house to fix him and send him back to Allahabad HC, hence enabling the collegium to provide names of judges chosen by the government without any protest. Justice Varma’s denial and the dearth of hard data on cash recovery in official records help to justify this argument. Although it does not directly relate to the current accusations, his past—including being listed in a 2018 CBI FIR linked to a sugar mill bank fraud case—as a non-executive director with no charges proven—may be used to damage his reputation. Given the high stakes with forthcoming vacancies and CJI Khanna’s retirement, the evidence points toward this being a calculated move to influence judicial appointments.

Constant Research and the Future

The three-member panel is looking into the allegations as of March 23, 2025; the Supreme Court has made public reports, pictures, and recordings pertaining to the occurrence on late March 22, 2025, thereby guaranteeing openness. The results of the panel will decide whether the claims are valid; nonetheless, Justice Varma’s denial and the possibility of synthetic evidence highlight the need of an exhaustive and unbiased investigation. The process predicated on the 1995 ruling C Ravichandran v. Justice A M Bhattacharjee lets the judge be absolved should the findings clear him, or for resignation or more investigation should claims be supported. Given the complexity, one should wait for the result while guaranteeing justice and openness.

Final Thought

Allegations that seem most likely to be part of a conspiracy call attention to Justice Yashwant Varma’s career, which was defined by intelligence, integrity, and major contributions to the court. His denial, the timing of the debate, and his participation in the collegium testify to outside control used to affect court nominations. Supporting a fair process and acknowledging his outstanding service as the investigation goes on will help to prevent damage to reputation from unsubstantiated allegations. The legitimacy of the court rests on treating such issues with great attention to guarantee justice for all the engaged parties.

Key Citations:

• Who is Justice Yashwant Varma, the Delhi HC judge in middle of ‘cash recovered at home’ row? | Delhi News
• ‘My reputation has been irreparably damaged’: Justice Yashwant Varma denies cash discovery allegations, calls it a conspiracy
• Delhi High Court judge’s transfer is not related to ‘rumours’, says Supreme Court
• Judge In Cash Pile At Home Case Was Named in CBI’s 2018 FIR
• Cash recovery at judge Yashwant Varma’s home: CJI may decide on inquiry today | Delhi News
• ‘Misinformation and rumours’: SC issues clarification on Justice Yashwant Varma’s transfer after cash recovery | India News
• Judge ‘cash at home’ case: SC shares video and photos of charred notes at Justice Yashwant Varma’s house, makes report of Delhi HC CJ public …
• Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma cash recovery: Supreme Court appoints 3 judge panel to probe cash at home charge – India Today
• The many unanswered questions on Justice Yashwant Varma that threaten the credibility of our judicial system
• Rs15 Crore Found at Delhi HC Judge Varma’s Residence; Here’s Why Removing Him Remains Nearly Impossible – The420.in
• Who is Justice Yashwant Varma, the Delhi HC Judge transferred after cash recovery | India News
• Delhi HC Judge’s Bungalow Cash News: Before transferring Delhi HC justice Yashwant Varma, Supreme Court collegium made aware of video of cash …