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Synopsis

In a departure from tradition, Justice Yashwant Varma was sworn in as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on Saturday in a quiet, private ceremony, even as a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry continues into the discovery of a large stash of cash at his residence.

Unlike the usual public oath-taking ceremonies for judges, Justice Varma took his oath inside a private chamber, away from public and media glare. He will not be assigned any judicial work until the inquiry, overseen by a three-member panel appointed by the Chief Justice of India, concludes.

Justice Varma ranks sixth in seniority at the Allahabad High Court, after the Chief Justice. His transfer from the Delhi High Court to Allahabad was notified by the Centre on March 28, following a recommendation by the Supreme Court Collegium.

The move triggered strong opposition from the Allahabad High Court Bar Association, which launched an indefinite strike demanding action against him. The protest was put on hold after Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna assured the bar that their concerns would be addressed.

The controversy around Justice Varma erupted after a fire broke out at his outhouse on March 14. While he was not in the city at the time, firefighters responding to the blaze discovered bundles of partially burnt currency notes in a storeroom, prompting intense speculation and public outrage.

Following the incident, the CJI constituted an in-house panel to probe the matter. Justice Varma has maintained that the allegations are baseless and that he is being "defamed in the press."

Last week, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking an FIR against him, terming the plea “premature.” The bench clarified that the decision on registering a case would be made once the inquiry panel submits its findings. The petitioners had questioned why the money was not seized, why criminal law was not put into motion.