"Not Trash Bin": Allahabad High Court Lawyers Reject Justice Yashwant Varma

The Allahabad High Court is not a "trash bin", that court's Bar Association declared Friday morning, adding another twist to the growing controversy surrounding Justice Yashwant Varma and the recovery of a pile of unaccounted cash - allegedly Rs 15 crore - from his home.

In a letter to the Chief Justice and other judges of the Allahabad High Court, the group opposed Justice Varma's repatriation, as decided by the Supreme Court Collegium after discovery of the money. The association said it had been "taken aback" by the Collegium's decision.

"This decision of the Collegium raises a serious question - is the Allahabad High Court a trash bin? This matter becomes important when we examine the current situation... wherein the Allahabad High Court is short of judges... new judges have not appointed for many years."

The Bar Association also red-flagged the lack of judges in the Allahabad High Court and also questioned, as senior Delhi advocates like Kapil Sibal and Indira Jaising have, the process by which the Collegium appoints new judges.

"It is also of grave concern that while elevating members of the Bar, the Bar was never consulted. Consideration of eligibility appears to be not up to the mark. Something is lacking... which has resulted in corruption and consequently, public's faith in the judiciary is damaged."

These points suggest a "conspiracy to divide the Allahabad High Court into parts", the association alleged, announcing a general meeting on Monday to take "a suitable decision".

'We Aren't A Trash Bin; Corruption Unacceptable': Allahabad HCBA Opposes Justice Yashwant Verma's Repatriation Over '₹15 Crores' Cash Recovery | @ISparshUpadhyay #JusticeYashwantVerma #DelhiHighCourt #AllahabadHighCourthttps://t.co/2q1qDvnrzP

— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) March 21, 2025

The controversy surrounding Justice Varma - who was born in Allahabad (now called Prayagraj) in 1969 and served as a judge in the High Court till his Delhi posting in 2021 - broke after the cash was found at his allotted bungalow in the national capital.

The money was found by firefighters called to put out a blaze during Holi, i.e., on March 14. The firefighters then called the police and, eventually, the Supreme Court was informed.

READ | Cash Found In Delhi Judge's Home, Supreme Court Collegium Acts

The top court's immediate decision was to transfer Justice Varma back to Allahabad. However, sources later said Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna had also ordered a preliminary probe.

READ | "Transfer First Step, Top Court Probing": Sources On Delhi Judge Row

Based on the outcome of the investigation, Justice Varma may either be asked to resign or be removed from office by Parliament, under Article 124(4) of the Constitution.

Justice Varma - whose transfer to Allahabad will be official only after the union government's approval - has not yet commented on this matter and is "on leave" for the day, according to his court officers.

With input from agencies

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