Overview

• Justice Yashwant Varma was sworn in as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on April 5, 2025, in a private ceremony, diverging from the tradition of public oath-taking.
• The swearing-in comes as an in-house inquiry, initiated by the Chief Justice of India, investigates the alleged discovery of semi-burnt sacks of cash at his Delhi residence on March 14, 2025.
• The Allahabad High Court Bar Association has strongly criticized the private nature of the ceremony, calling it unconstitutional and eroding public trust in the judiciary.
• Justice Varma has denied any connection to the cash discovery, labeling the allegations a conspiracy to tarnish his reputation.
• He has not been assigned any judicial or administrative responsibilities, with the Bar Association urging the Chief Justice to withhold such duties until the inquiry concludes.