• Source:JND
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Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court was on Friday transferred to the Allahabad High Court following the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium. The Supreme Court collegium led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna made the recommendations for his transfer to the Central Government.

The transfer assumes significance amid the controversy over the alleged recovery of cash from his house by firefighters responding to a fire complaint at Justice Yashwant Varma's house. Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg, however, denied claims of the cash discovery by the firefighters.

Following the incident, the Supreme Court on Friday said the Delhi High Court chief justice had initiated an in-house inquiry against him and the proposal to transfer him to the Allahabad High Court was separate.

"There is misinformation and rumours being spread with regard to the incident at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma." While confirming reports that the apex court collegium met to discuss the matter, the top court said Delhi High Court Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya would submit a report to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna today.

Upon receiving the information, the apex court said, Justice Upadhyaya "commenced the in-house enquiry procedure collecting evidence and information". Justice Upadhyaya was stated to have commenced the enquiry before the collegium meeting on March 20. "The report will be examined and processed for further and necessary action," the statement added.

The apex court said the proposal for transfer him was examined by the apex court collegium comprising the CJI and four senior-most judges on March 20, and thereafter letters were shot off to the consultee judges of the top court, the chief justices of the high courts concerned apart from Justice Varma. "Responses received will be examined and, thereupon, the collegium will pass a resolution," the court said.

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No Cash Found: Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg

Firefighters found no cash during their operation to douse flames at the residence of Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma, Delhi Fire Services Chief Atul Garg said on Friday. The control room received a call about a blaze at Varma's Lutyens Delhi residence at 11.35 pm on March 14 and two fire tenders were immediately rushed to the spot, Garg said.

"Soon after dousing the flames, we informed police about the fire incident. Thereafter, a team of fire department personnel left the spot. Our fire fighters did not find any cash during their firefighting operation," the DFS chief said as quoted by PTI.

Fire tenders reached the spot at 11.43 pm. The fire was in a store room stocked with stationery and domestic articles, Garg said, adding that it took 15 minutes to control the flames. There were no casualties.

Yashwant Varma was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Allahabad High Court on October 13, 2014. He took oath as a Permanent Judge of that Court on February 1, 2016, and was appointed as a Judge of the High Court of Delhi on October 11, 2021.