Om Birla forms panel after 146 MPs seek removal of Justice Yashwant Varma in burnt cash case

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday announced the formation of a three-member committee to investigate allegations of misconduct against Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma. The announcement follows the submission of a resolution signed by 146 MPs from both ruling and Opposition parties seeking his removal from office.

According to the Speaker, the panel will operate under the provisions of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, read with Articles 124, 217, and 218 of the Constitution, which outline the procedure for removal of judges. The committee will comprise Justice Aravind Kumar of the Supreme Court, Madras High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava, and senior advocate B.V. Acharya. The panel will examine the charges and submit a report to Parliament.

The case dates back to March 15, 2025, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence at 30, Tughlaq Crescent in New Delhi, then allotted to him as a Delhi High Court judge. Firefighters recovered burnt and partially burnt currency notes from the debris. The Supreme Court later released an in-house inquiry report containing photographs and videos from the incident, which concluded that Justice Varma was guilty of misconduct.

The resolution read out in the Lok Sabha cited both the Supreme Court’s report and a document sent by the then Chief Justice of India to President Droupadi Murmu. Birla, while announcing the panel, said, “Impeccable character and financial/intellectual integrity are the foundation of the trust placed by a common man in the judiciary. The facts of the present case which point to corruption are violative of the tenets of Article 124, Articles 217 and 218 of the Constitution of India and deserve due process and scrutiny.”

Earlier, the Supreme Court dismissed Justice Varma’s plea to invalidate the in-house panel’s findings, stating that his conduct did not inspire confidence. The apex court observed that the Chief Justice of India has the authority to take action on judicial misconduct and is not limited to a procedural role. The panel formed by the Speaker will now assess the grounds for removal and submit its findings for further action.