Charges against Justice Yashwant Varma over cash discovery proved, says Lok Sabha panel

New Delhi: A three-member panel constituted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has concluded that the charges against Justice Yashwant Varma over the discovery of unexplained cash at his official residence are proved.

The panel, constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, submitted its report to both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday. It found that Justice Varma failed to provide a satisfactory explanation about the presence, source or ownership of the cash found in the storeroom of his official residence.

The committee also found that material evidence was not properly secured or preserved and that the condition of the storeroom was disturbed before it was lawfully sealed and inspected.

It further said Justice Varma’s explanation lacked the “candour, transparency and institutional responsibility” expected in the circumstances. His account, the panel said, remained evasive and unsatisfactory when assessed against the testimony of independent official witnesses and other corroborating evidence.

“The Committee therefore records its final findings that Articles of charges I, II and III are proved,” the panel said in its consolidated findings. The report, submitted to Parliament in two volumes, contains oral and documentary evidence collected during the investigation. The three-member panel had submitted its findings to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in May.

Justice Varma has since resigned amid a move by nearly 200 MPs seeking his removal through parliamentary proceedings. However, his resignation has not yet been notified by the Union Law Ministry.

A fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence on the night of March 14, 2025. Firefighters who arrived to extinguish the blaze allegedly found a large quantity of burnt currency in a storeroom. With Justice Varma having resigned, the proceedings seeking his removal from office have effectively become infructuous.