Justice Varma issue: Opposition MPs demand statement by Law Minister in Lok Sabha
The Hindu
Opposition MPs demand Law Minister's statement on alleged cash discovery at Delhi High Court judge's residence.
Opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha on Thursday (March 27, 2025) raised the issue of the alleged discovery of a large stash of partially burnt cash from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, with Congress MP Manish Tewari demanding that Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal make a statement in the Lok Sabha on the facts available in the case.
Mr. Tewari brought up the issue during Zero Hour. Reports on the incident had “disturbed the conscience of all right-thinking citizens across the country”, he said.
While it was too premature to apportion guilt or otherwise, the Congress leader said, Parliament was nevertheless charged with the responsibility of exercising superintendence and oversight over the judiciary.
“While the Chief Justice of India has appointed an in-house inquiry, I think we should respect the process and wait for that report. However, in the meantime, the Law Minister should come to this House and must relay the chronology of events as they have transpired,” Mr. Tewari said.
“Nobody is saying that anyone is innocent or guilty. Nobody is trying to apportion guilt. Let the in-house inquiry process play itself out. But under Articles of the Constitution and the Judge’s (Inquiry) Act, this Parliament has the responsibility of exercising that superintendence,” he added.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee also raised the issue, saying that unaccountable money had been recovered from a judge of the Delhi High Court.
“Why will the Lokpal not be allowed to carry on an investigation when a complaint has come against a judge, who is a public servant like us? This judge has been transferred from Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court...Allahabad High Court and Calcutta High Court cannot be dumping grounds. All corrupt judges [are] being sent to Allahabad and Calcutta High Courts,” Mr. Banerjee said.
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