After transfer of Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma, Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya says ‘incident has pained many of us’

“Today’s incident has pained many of us. Please take some steps on the administrative side so that these incidents do not happen in future and the truthfulness of the judicial system is maintained…We are shaken and demoralised,” Bharadwaj told the court.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court Collegium decided to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma back to his parent Allahabad High Court following an adverse report about recovery of cash during a fire at his residence.

Following the adverse report and the Collegium’s recommendation for his transfer, Justice Varma went on leave on Friday.

Calls and text messages to Justice Varma’s office and staff by The Indian Express did not elicit a response.

CJ Upadhyaya orally responded to Bhardwaj, “So is everybody…We are conscious (of the incident).”

Bhardwaj added that he is expressing the “feeling of many of my brother lawyers”.
Speaking to the Indian Express, Bhardwaj said, “This shakes the faith in the entire system..I don’t know how this black spot will go away. We respect the judges, clients look at judges as blot-less people. He (CJ Upadhyaya) said that steps will be taken.

CJI Sanjiv Khanna is learnt to have sought a fact-finding report from Delhi High Court CJ Upadhyaya. Sources said the Collegium members had suggested to the CJI to try and get this at the earliest as that will assist the decision on whether to order an in-house inquiry or not.

Meanwhile, the High Court Bar Association (HCBA), Allahabad, Friday passed a resolution, declaring that with the SC Collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Varma, the Bar body has been “compelled to convene an emergent General House so that the suitable decision be taken by the members”.

“We are not ready to accept corruption,” HCBA said in the resolution.

“The General House is notified to be held on 24.03.2025 (Monday) at 01:15 P.M. in Library Hall of the Association. All members are requested to attend the meeting as the matter is about existence of judiciary,” the resolution notes.