The Delhi High Court has directed that all cases previously listed before the bench of Justice Yashwant Varma and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar—where no judicial orders were passed—will be reheard afresh by the appropriate Roster Bench.

This development comes amid serious allegations involving Justice Varma. In response, Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna constituted a three-member committee to investigate the matter.

The panel comprises Justice Sheel Nagu (Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court), Justice G.S. Sandhawalia (Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court), and Justice Anu Sivaraman (Judge, Karnataka High Court).

The Supreme Court also directed the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court not to assign any judicial work to Justice Varma until further notice.

Separately, the Supreme Court clarified that the proposal to transfer Justice Varma back to the Allahabad High Court—where he served prior to his 2021 elevation to the Delhi High Court—was unrelated to the ongoing inquiry. The transfer proposal was considered by the Collegium on March 20, 2025, with inputs sought from relevant judges and Chief Justices, including Justice Varma.

The move has stirred controversy. The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) of Allahabad voiced strong objections to the transfer, questioning whether the Allahabad High Court was being treated as a haven for judges under scrutiny. The association denounced the transfer as a blow to judicial accountability and institutional dignity.

Further intensifying the issue, Advocate Mathews J. Nedumpara filed a petition before the Supreme Court on March 24, 2025, seeking registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Justice Varma. Citing the recovery of approximately ₹15 crores in unaccounted cash from Justice Varma’s residence, the plea argued that a cognizable offence had occurred under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The petition challenged the requirement for prior approval from the Chief Justice of India before registering an FIR against a sitting judge, contending that such protection violates the constitutional principle of equality before the law.

Despite the ongoing controversy, Justice Varma took oath as a judge of the Allahabad High Court on April 5, 2025. The HCBA criticized the manner in which the ceremony was conducted, alleging it was held secretly without the knowledge or participation of the legal community or most sitting judges. In a letter to the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, the association condemned the ceremony as lacking transparency and propriety.

Meanwhile, the Bar Association has temporarily suspended its strike as of March 29, pending the outcome of the inquiry initiated by the Chief Justice of India.