Justice Yashwant Varma Cash-At-Home Case Probe Panel: Who Are The 3 Legal Experts On Committee?

Last Updated:August 12, 2025, 12:50 IST

The members of the committee are Supreme Court Judge Aravind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and BV Acharya and Senior Counsel from Karnataka

Speaker Om Birla (top right) announced a panel to probe Justice Varma cash-at-home case. (File)

Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla on Tuesday announced a three-member inquiry panel in Justice Yashwant Varma’s cash discovery case.

The members of the committee are Supreme Court Judge Aravind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and BV Acharya, Senior Counsel from Karnataka.

Birla said: “A motion for impeachment has been submitted against Yashwant Varma. Cash was recovered when a fire broke out at his residence. We have studied the provisions of the Judges Inquiry Act. We have been introduced to the details about him. The Chief Justice of Delhi found this complaint to be serious. After due consideration, the Chief Justice of India found that an investigation is necessary. The committee’s report recommends the removal of the judge."

Who are the members of the committee that will probe Justice Yashwant Varma cash-at-home case?

Justice Aravind Kumar From Supreme Court: He was the Special Public Prosecutor for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) till elevation. He was appointed as the Additional Judge High Court of Karnataka on June 26, 2009 and took oath of office on the said date and was made a permanent Judge w.e.f. December 7, 2012. Was appointed as Chief Justice, High Court of Gujarat and took oath of office on October 13, 2021. He was elevated as Judge, Supreme Court of India.

Madras HC CJ Manindra Mohan Shrivastava: He enrolled with the Bar Council of M.P., Jabalpur, on October 5, 1987 and practised at District Court, Raigarh, High Court. Was Standing Counsel for Department of Income-tax, Muncipal Council, Raipur and Chhattisgarh State Electricity Organisations, Corporations etc. He was designated as Senior Advocate on 31-01-2005 and elevated as Judge of Chhattisgarh High Court on 10-12-2009. Transferred to Rajasthan High Court and took oath on 18.10.2021, according to cdjlawjournal.com.

Senior Counsel From Karnataka BV Acharya: He was the chairman of the Karnataka State Bar Council between 1979 and 1982. He was designated as Senior Advocate by the High Court of Karnataka during May 1989. In December 1989, he was appointed as Advocate General of Karnataka. In all, he held the said post five times between 1989 and 2012. In 2005, he was appointed as Special Public Prosecutor in the disproportionate assets case against Selvi Jayalalitha, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and others. He is serving as President of the Karnataka (India) section of the international commission of jurists, Bangalore since 2019. Presently at the age of 88 years, he is in active practice before the High Court of Karnataka, having completed 65 years at the bar, including over 30 years as a Senior Advocate, according to barindia.in.

The Justice Varma case recap

On March 14, 2025, a fire broke out in a storeroom at Justice Varma’s official Delhi residence. Fire and police personnel reportedly found half burnt stacks of Rs 500 notes at the scene, captured on video and authenticated afterward.

A Supreme Court-appointed three-judge in house panel, after examining 55 witnesses over ten days, concluded that Justice Varma and/or his family had covert or active control over the storeroom. The panel noted the cash was removed in the early hours of March 15, implicating his staff in the act.

Key video evidence was validated by the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) IANS News.

Justice Varma denied any involvement, claimed the storeroom was a common area accessible to staff, characterized the allegations as a conspiracy, and criticised procedural irregularities in the inquiry.

The panel deemed the misconduct grave enough to warrant impeachment. Then CJI Sanjiv Khanna forwarded the recommendation to the President and Prime Minister.

Justice Varma moved the Supreme Court seeking to quash the inquiry report, labeling the process unconstitutional and procedurally flawed.

On August 7, the Supreme Court rejected his petition, upholding the inquiry’s findings and emphasizing that Justice Varma’s conduct “did not inspire confidence," effectively supporting the removal recommendation.

With Agency Inputs

Ananya Bhatnagar

Ananya Bhatnagar, Correspondent at CNN-News18, reports on various legal issues and cases in lower courts and the Delhi High Court. He has covered the hanging of the Nirbhaya gang-rape convicts, JNU violence, De...Read More

Ananya Bhatnagar, Correspondent at CNN-News18, reports on various legal issues and cases in lower courts and the Delhi High Court. He has covered the hanging of the Nirbhaya gang-rape convicts, JNU violence, De...

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August 12, 2025, 12:48 IST

News india Justice Yashwant Varma Cash-At-Home Case Probe Panel: Who Are The 3 Legal Experts On Committee?

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