'History Will Record Unfairness': Justice Yashwant Varma Writes To Probe Panel, Questions Evidence

Last Updated:April 11, 2026, 07:44 IST

Justice Yashwant Varma resigns, claims Lok Sabha inquiry into the case was "unfair," cites procedural lapses, unreliable video evidence and public vilification.

In a sharply worded letter to the Lok Sabha-appointed inquiry panel, Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma has alleged that the proceedings against him were compromised by “unfairness" from the outset, stating that history would eventually judge how a sitting constitutional court judge was treated.

Dated April 9, the communication coincided with his resignation submitted to President Droupadi Murmu, effectively ending the parliamentary probe into allegations linked to the discovery of unaccounted cash at his official Delhi residence after a fire in March 2025.

In the 13-page letter, Justice Varma argued that the inquiry was plagued by procedural lapses, lack of credible evidence, and a “predetermined" approach that led to his public “vilification" before he could present his defence. The panel included Supreme Court judge Aravind Kumar, Bombay High Court Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar, and senior advocate BV Acharya.

He maintained that the process failed to meet the standards of fairness expected in such cases, asserting that it was “marked by unfairness from its very inception" and appeared to have reached conclusions in advance, Hindustan Times reported.

Justice Varma claimed he was denied a meaningful opportunity to defend himself, with key safeguards either weakened or ignored. He also questioned the reliability of evidence, particularly video recordings allegedly showing cash at his residence, noting they were recorded without his knowledge and lacked proper authentication.

Raising doubts about the chain of custody, he said the material failed to meet the standards required to establish credibility. He stressed that no direct link had been proven between him and the cash.

The judge also criticised what he termed public “vilification", pointing to the circulation of videos and a “sensational narrative" that, he said, undermined the presumption of innocence and damaged his reputation.

Reiterating his denial, he stated he had no connection to the cash and concluded, “I withdraw with the deepest sadness, conscious of the gravity of my decision and with the hope that history will one day record the unfairness with which a sitting High Court Judge was treated and that has marked this entire episode from its inception," his letter concluded.

News india 'History Will Record Unfairness': Justice Yashwant Varma Writes To Probe Panel, Questions Evidence

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