NEW DELHI: A three-member judges' committee has indicted Justice Yashwant Varma then Delhi High Court judge over huge cash pile allegedly found at his residence here during the fire incident on March 15-16, sources said on Wednesday.
They said cash discovery has been confirmed, paving the way for further action against the sitting judge.
Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna has sought a response from Justice Varma, currently a judge of the Allahabad High Court, to the report received by him on May 4.
Sources said, the action against Justice Varma could be recommended based upon his response. He may be asked to step down in view of critical findings. In a case of any denial or belligerence, he may face adverse recommendation for initiating impeachment proceedings.
Justice Varma had earlier denied recovery of any cash and termed the whole episode as a conspiracy. He also questioned authenticity of video evidence asking why it was not shown to his family members and the staff.
"I unequivocally state that no cash was ever placed in that storeroom either by me or any of my family members and strongly denounce the suggestion that the alleged cash belonged to us," he had said.
On March 22, the CJI set up the committee consisted of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Justice G S Sandhawalia, Chief Justice of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Ms Justice Anu Sivaraman, judge of the High Court of Karnataka as part of inhouse inquiry, within days of the incident has come into light.
The committee has finalised its report on May 3 and submitted it the CJI on May 4.
It is noteworthy, the Supreme Court judgment in K Veeraswami Vs Union of India (1991) declared that no criminal case can be registered against a judge of a High court or Supreme Court without the prior permission of the Chief Justice of India.
Justice Varma is currently posted at the Allahabad High Court where he stood transferred subsequently.
He hailed from the Allahabad High Court.
The CJI had earlier ordered to withdraw judicial work from the judge.
