Delhi High Court Judge Transferred After Unaccounted Cash Found at Bungalow:

Following a fire at the official residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court, authorities found a significant amount of unaccounted cash. The judge was not present at the time of the incident. His family members called the fire department and local police. Once the fire was put out, officials recovered the money from a locked room, prompting a formal report.

Supreme Court Collegium Responds Promptly
After being informed, the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna, took swift action. He convened a collegium meeting to discuss the matter. The panel agreed unanimously to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court, his original posting before being moved to Delhi in October 2021.

Internal Disagreements on Disciplinary Measures
While the transfer was finalized, some collegium members voiced the need for stronger disciplinary steps. They argued that the judiciary’s image could suffer if the situation was not addressed more firmly. According to NDTV sources, some members recommended that Justice Varma resign. If he refused, they said an internal probe should follow.

Legal Framework for Handling Allegations Against Judges
Guidelines from 1999 provide a process for handling misconduct by Constitutional Court judges. When allegations surface, the Chief Justice can request an explanation from the judge involved. If unsatisfied, or if the issue seems serious, the CJI may set up a committee. This committee must include one Supreme Court judge and two High Court Chief Justices.