Cash Scandal: Justice Yashwant Verma in deep trouble, Supreme Court committee found allegations true, CJI gave two ways to resign

New Delhi: Former Delhi High Court judge and currently Allahabad High Court Justice Yashwant Verma is in serious trouble in the 'Cash Scandal'. The three-member inquiry committee of the Supreme Court has found the allegations of cash being found during the fire at his Delhi government residence credible. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjeev Khanna has suggested Justice Verma to resign or take voluntary retirement, but Verma refused to resign. The CJI has sent the investigation report to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, raising the possibility of the impeachment process starting. #CashScandal and #JusticeVarma are trending on X. Let's investigate this matter with facts.

Cash Scandal: What is the matter?

On 14 March 2025, on the night of Holi, a fire broke out at Justice Yashwant Verma's official residence in Delhi. According to reports by News18 and Hindustan, a huge amount of burnt cash was found while extinguishing the fire, the source of which Justice Verma could not give any satisfactory answer. The incident raised questions about the impartiality of the judiciary. The Supreme Court constituted an in-house committee on the direction of the CJI on 21 March to investigate the matter, which included the Chief Justices of the Punjab-Haryana High Court and the Himachal Pradesh High Court and a judge of the Karnataka High Court.

Report of the Inquiry Committee

On 3 May 2025, the committee submitted its report to CJI Sanjiv Khanna, in which Justice Verma's explanation regarding the source of the cash was found to be inadequate. According to a report by Aaj Tak, the committee found the allegations "credible" and confirmed that cash was present at the residence. On 7 May, the CJI gave Justice Verma two options: resign or take voluntary retirement. Verma declined both options, following which the CJI wrote to the President and the Prime Minister on May 8, sending the report and Verma's response. On X,@barandbench posted, "Justice Yashwant Verma refuses to resign, committee finds him guilty." 

Justice Verma's transfer and controversy

After the cash scandal, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended Justice Verma's transfer from Delhi High Court to Allahabad High Court in March 2025. On April 5, he took oath as a judge in the Allahabad High Court. According to reports by Zee News and ABP Live, the controversy did not leave him despite the transfer. On March 22, the Supreme Court had asked Verma to preserve his phone records to aid the investigation.

CJI's action and possibility of impeachment

 CJI Sanjiv Khanna took immediate action considering the gravity of the matter. On March 22, Justice Verma was stripped of his judicial duties. On X,@barandbench posted on May 8 that the CJI had written a letter to the President and PM sending the committee's report, which recommended action against Verma. According to Aaj Tak's sources, this letter could be a signal to start the impeachment process. Impeachment requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament, and the process is complicated.

Conclusion

The cash scandal has put Justice Yashwant Verma in unprecedented trouble. The Supreme Court's inquiry committee found the allegations against him to be true, and CJI Sanjiv Khanna's action made the case a topic of national discussion. His refusal to resign and the possibility of impeachment have put the credibility of the judiciary in question. Will this case usher in judicial reforms, or fuel further controversies? The answer depends on the next steps taken by Parliament and the Supreme Court.