Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma has raised serious concerns over the inquiry proceedings initiated against him, alleging that the process was flawed from the beginning. In a detailed letter dated April 9 to a Lok Sabha-appointed panel, he claimed the probe was "marked by unfairness from its very inception" and suggested that its outcome appeared predetermined, News 18 reported.
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Resignation coincides with letter
The communication came on the same day Justice Varma submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, effectively bringing an end to the Parliamentary probe. The inquiry was linked to allegations surrounding the discovery of unaccounted cash at his official residence in Delhi following a fire in March 2025.
The panel examining the case included Aravind Kumar, Shree Chandrashekhar, and senior advocate BV Acharya.
Questions over evidence and procedure
In his 13-page letter, Justice Varma argued that the inquiry suffered from procedural lapses and lacked credible evidence. He questioned the reliability of video recordings allegedly showing cash at his residence, noting they were obtained without his knowledge and lacked proper authentication.
He also raised concerns about the chain of custody of the evidence, stating that it failed to meet the standards required to establish credibility. According to him, no direct link had been proven between him and the cash in question.
Justice Varma further stated that he was denied a meaningful opportunity to present his defence, with key safeguards either weakened or overlooked during the process.
Allegations of public vilification
The judge also criticised what he described as public "vilification", pointing to the circulation of videos and a "sensational narrative" surrounding the case. He said this environment undermined the presumption of innocence and caused reputational harm before he could respond to the allegations.
Reiterating his stance, he maintained that he had no connection to the cash.
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Concluding his letter (which was cited by News 18), Justice Varma reflected on the broader implications of the case, stating, "I withdraw with the deepest sadness, conscious of the gravity of my decision and with the hope that history will one day record the unfairness with which a sitting High Court Judge was treated and that has marked this entire episode from its inception."
