Cash-at-home row: Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyay reconstitutes administrative committees comprising Justice Yashwant Varma

Following the alleged recovery of Rs 15 crore from the official residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Chief Justice of the High Court, Justice DK Upadhyay has reconstituted various administrative committees of the Court comprising Justice Varma.

A circular uploaded on the Delhi High Court on Thursday said the Committees comprising judges of this Court were being reconstituted with immediate effect.

By virtue of seniority, Justice Varma was a member of the High Court Collegium and key administrative committees in the High Court.

Sources said the decision was taken on the grounds that his continued presence in these crucial bodies would have led to an operational deadlock.

Justice Varma’s predicate position meant that if he were to continue at Delhi, all work of the Collegium would come to a halt, said a source.

Justice Varma was part of more than 10 committees of the High Court, including those pertaining to administrative and general supervision, along with the development and planning of the court management system.

He was also part of the committees examining the pendency of cases in the High Court and giving suggestions to expedite disposal.

Justice Varma also headed the arbitration committee of the Delhi International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) and the Information Technology and Artificial Intelligence committee.

Justice Varma was embroiled in a major controversy after the alleged recovery of Rs 15 crore cash from his Tughlak Road residence in Delhi on the night of March 14, following a fire incident.

On March 22, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member committee to conduct an in-house inquiry into the allegations.

Justice Varma termed the allegations as totally preposterous and claimed that he was being framed in a conspiracy to malign him.