The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court not to assign any judicial work to Justice Yashwant Varma, when, upon transfer, he assumes charge as a Judge of the Allahabad High Court.

“The Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court for the time being has been asked not to assign any judicial work to Justice Yashwant Varma, when he assumes charge as a Judge of the Allahabad High Court,” stated a press release by the Supreme Court.

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The Central government has also issued a formal notification approving the Supreme Court collegium’s recommendation transferring Justice Varma from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court.

Notification states that in exercise of the power conferred by clause (1) of Article 222 of the Constitution of India, the President, after consultation with the Chief Justice of India, is pleased to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma, Judge, Delhi High Court, to be a Judge of Allahabad High Court and to direct him to assume charge of his office in the Allahabad High Court.

Justice Varma’s transfer comes amidst allegations of the recovery of huge unaccounted cash from the outhouse of his official residence in New Delhi following an outbreak of fire on March 14, 2025. The cash was recovered by the firefighters who had come to extinguish the fire.

The Chief Justice of India, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, has already set up a three-member inquiry committee to probe into the recovery of cash at Justice Verna’s residence.

The committee comprises the Chief Justice of the Punjab & Haryana High Court, Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court, Justice GS Sandhawalia, and a judge of Karnataka High Court, Justice Anu Sivaraman.

Justice Varma has strongly denied any involvement, asserting that neither he nor his family members placed the cash in the storeroom.

The controversy has had significant repercussions for Justice Varma’s role at the Delhi High Court. His name was notably absent from the recently reconstituted administrative committees, and his judicial work was withdrawn following a directive from the Chief Justice of India.

Despite the proximity of the recovery of the cash and recommendation of his transfer, the Supreme Court has said that the transfer decision is independent from the ongoing inquiry.

As a sequel to the recovery of cash, setting up of a three-member inquiry committee and his transfer to Allahabad High Court, the Allahabad High Court Bar Association has gone on an indefinite strike, voicing their opposition to the Supreme Court Collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma to the Allahabad High Court.