Cash Seizure at Delhi High Court Judge's Residence Raised in Rajya Sabha; Chairman Promises Structured Discussion
New Delhi, March 21 – The issue of alleged cash recovery from the residence of a sitting judge of the Delhi High Court was raised in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar assured members that he would seek a mechanism to facilitate a structured discussion on the matter during the ongoing session.
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh brought up the matter during the morning session, expressing concern over judicial accountability and also reminding the Chair of a pending notice for the impeachment of a judge from the Allahabad High Court. He referred to the reports about the shocking discovery of large amounts of cash from the Delhi High Court judge's residence and called on the government to bring forth a proposal to strengthen judicial accountability.
Ramesh reminded the House that more than 50 Members of Parliament had previously submitted a notice related to controversial remarks made by a judge from the Allahabad High Court. He noted that the Chairman himself has frequently highlighted the urgency of ensuring judicial accountability.
Responding to the issue, Chairman Dhankhar expressed concern that such a serious development did not come to public light immediately. He remarked that if a similar incident had involved a politician, bureaucrat, or industrialist, the reaction would have been swift and widespread. He emphasized the need for a systemic response that is transparent, accountable, and effective in such cases.
As per agency report, the Chairman informed the House that he would consult both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition to explore a framework for structured deliberation on the issue during the current session.
The allegations of cash recovery relate to Justice Yashwant Varma, and according to reports, the Supreme Court Collegium has decided to transfer him back to his parent High Court in Allahabad.
On the subject of the impeachment motion, Dhankhar confirmed that he had received a representation from 55 members of the Rajya Sabha. He stated that all necessary steps have been taken to verify the identities of the signatories and that most members have responded positively, aiding him in fulfilling his duties.
He appealed to the remaining members who had not yet responded to the verification emails to do so at the earliest. The Chairman made it clear that if more than 50 verified signatures are confirmed, he would proceed accordingly without delay. He also informed the House that one member’s signature had appeared twice and the member had denied signing the second time.
