The Bombay Lawyers Association (BLA) has formally approached the Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, seeking sanction to initiate criminal prosecution against Justice Yashwant Varma..Justice Varma, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, is facing accusations of corruption after the reported discovery of a large quantity of unaccounted 'burnt' cash from his official residence earlier this year.In a representation dated June 2, 2025, the BLA has requested the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to permit the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (PC Act) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.The BLA's letter, signed by the association's president, Advocate Ahmed Abdi and its Secretary, Advocate Eknath R Dhokale, states, “The Applicant is seeking your sanction to initiate criminal prosecution, including the registration of a First Information Report (FIR), against Hon’ble Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma, a sitting Judge of the Allahabad High Court, under the relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in connection with the alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from his official residence.” .The letter highlights the principle of equality before the law and the need for institutional accountability. The BLA has argued that credible evidence, including photographs and video footage shared by law enforcement authorities, indicates the commission of a cognizable offence. The letter further raises concern that, despite the gravity of the material on record, no FIR has been registered yet, and no official seizure or panchnama has been reported.The BLA has also cited the binding precedent laid down by the Constitution Bench in K Veeraswami v. Union of India (1991), in which the Supreme Court had held that a judge is also a 'public servant' under the PC Act and can be subjected to criminal prosecution as long as sanction is obtained from the CJI.The BLA goes on to urge the CJI to grant such sanction, while expressing concerns over potential evidence tampering due to procedural delays. “The petitioners in earlier pleas before the Supreme Court raised concerns about the potential destruction of evidence due to the delay in initiating criminal proceedings. The absence of an FIR, seizure of the alleged cash, or a mahazar (panchnama) raises questions about the integrity of the investigation process. Immediate action is necessary to ensure that evidence is preserved and the rule of law is upheld," the letter says. Accordingly, the Association has requested that the CJI direct the relevant authorities, such as the Delhi Police or the Central Bureau of Investigation, to secure and preserve all material evidence, including partially burnt currency, videos, and photographs of the scene.Additionally, the BLA has asked that a copy of the in-house committee’s report against Justice Varma be made available to it, to support the filing of a formal complaint..The present development follows a sequence of events that began on March 14, 2025, when a fire broke out at Justice Varma’s official residence at 30 Tughlak Road in New Delhi. Justice Varma was a Delhi High Court judge at the time. During the firefighting operation, emergency personnel reportedly discovered around ₹15 crore in partially burnt currency. Following this, on March 22, then-CJI Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member in-house inquiry committee comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Justice GS Sandhawalia of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court to inquire into the incident.The committee submitted its report to the CJI on May 3, 2025, in which it indicted Justice Varma. A press release issued by the Supreme Court on May 8 confirmed that the committee’s findings, along with Justice Varma’s response dated May 6, had been forwarded to the President and Prime Minister.In the meantime, Justice Varma was transferred from the Delhi High Court to his parent High Court, the High Court of Allahabad, on March 28, and was divested of judicial work pending the outcome of the inquiry.Later, a plea seeking the immediate registration of an FIR against Justice Varma was dismissed by the Supreme Court on May 21, with the top court terming the plea premature. The petitioners were, however, granted liberty to approach the competent authorities, if required. .[Read Letter]
