A CASH SCANDAL has rocked the Delhi High Court after an alleged fire at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma reportedly uncovered a large stash of cash, estimated by some to be as high as ₹50 crore. At this point, it is worth trying to understand whether this case represents an exception or something more endemic to the Indian judiciary.
Let us recall a few similar cases.
One significant case involved Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court. In 2011, Sen became the first Indian judge to be impeached by the Rajya Sabha, for misappropriation of funds. Sen was accused of diverting approximately ₹33 lakh while serving as a court-appointed receiver in a legal dispute, retaining the funds for personal use even after his elevation to the judiciary.
He resigned before the Lok Sabha could impeach him. After his resignation, he was not prosecuted. A 2012 RTI query revealed that he retained post-retirement benefits, as no constitutional provision barred them for judges resigning before impeachment completion.
