Cash haul row: Justice Varma left with only one option

NEW DELHI: Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court faces the imaginable of impeachment successful the upcoming Monsoon league of Parliament aft being indicted successful a high-profile corruption case. According to officials cited by quality bureau PTI, resignation remains his lone enactment to debar a Parliamentary question for removal, which, if passed, would portion him of pension and status benefits.Justice Varma came nether scrutiny aft a occurrence astatine his Delhi residence successful March led to the find of respective burnt sacks of unaccounted currency successful the outhouse. Though helium denied cognition of the money, a Supreme Court-appointed in-house panel, led by past Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, recovered him culpable aft signaling witnesser statements and Varma’s ain deposition. Based connected this report, Justice Khanna urged the President and Prime Minister to initiate his removal, PTI reported.As per Article 217 of the Constitution, a High Court justice whitethorn resign by penning to the President. The resignation becomes valid without requiring ceremonial acceptance. If a justice resigns, they clasp post-retirement entitlements. However, if removed by Parliament, they suffer each specified benefits.In Parliament, a question for removal indispensable beryllium supported by astatine slightest 50 Rajya Sabha oregon 100 Lok Sabha members. Once admitted, the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968 mandates a caller three-member committee, including a Supreme Court judge, a High Court main justice, and a distinguished jurist, to analyse the charges.

However, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju pointed retired that the lawsuit is “slightly different” due to the fact that an in-house committee has already concluded its probe. “It cannot beryllium brushed aside,” Rijiju was quoted arsenic saying by PTI, adding that reconciling the existing study with the statutory enquiry process volition beryllium a substance for the Speaker oregon Chairman to decide.Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, portion gathering members of the Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association, expressed dismay implicit the deficiency of a transgression probe into the matter.

“A precise achy incidental happened... There was a currency haul, evidently tainted, unaccounted and illegal,” helium said.Dhankhar criticised the judiciary’s interior mechanics for shielding its members from FIRs, saying, “Unless support is accorded by a functionary astatine the highest level successful the judiciary, an FIR can’t beryllium registered.”Justice Varma has since been transferred to the Allahabad High Court, wherever helium has not been allotted immoderate judicial duties. Rijiju has begun consultations with governmental parties to physique statement connected the motion, which could beryllium the archetypal impeachment to beryllium taken up successful the caller Parliament building.The Monsoon league of Parliament is scheduled from July 21 to August 12.