Misinformation Spread
The Supreme Court acknowledged that "misinformation and rumours" were circulating about an "incident" at Justice Yashwant Varma's residence.
This followed reports of a "huge pile of cash" being recovered during a fire at his residence.
The Supreme Court confirmed that a proposal exists to transfer Justice Varma to the Allahabad High Court (his parent high court).
It explicitly stated that this transfer proposal is separate from the in-house inquiry into the "incident."
Collegium Process
The Supreme Court Collegium is examining the transfer proposal.
They are seeking feedback from consultee judges, Chief Justices of the relevant High Courts, and Justice Varma himself.
Once all the information has been collected, the collegium will make the final decision.
In-House Enquiry
The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice D.K. Upadhyaya, initiated an in-house inquiry into the "incident" prior to the SC collegium meeting
The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court will submit his report to the Chief Justice of India
The contents of the enquiry are kept confidential to protect the judge's integrity.
In-House Enquiry Procedure
Two-stage in-house inquiry procedure:
Stage 1: The High Court Chief Justice conducts a preliminary assessment.
Stage 2: If the CJI approves, a three-member committee conducts a deeper investigation, ensuring natural justice.
COMMENTS