Bar leaders meet SC Collegium for withdrawal of Justice Varma’s transfer

Leaders of six bar associations of different high courts on Thursday met CJI Sanjiv Khanna-led Supreme Court Collegium demanding withdrawal of the recommendation to transfer Justice Yashwant Varma of the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court—his parent high court.

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Justice Varma has been in the eye of a storm following discovery of unaccounted cash at his residence during a fire on March 14.

Leaders of bar associations of high courts of Allahabad, Gujarat, Kerala, Jabalpur, Karnataka and Lucknow (Bench of Allahabad High Court), who met the CJI and other collegium members -- Justices BR Gavai, Surya Kant, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath -- this afternoon, also questioned non-registration of an FIR on the incident.

Judicial work has already been withdrawn from Justice Varma. Now, the bar leaders have sought withdrawal of all administrative work from him.

Justice Varma has denied the allegations saying no cash was ever placed in the storeroom either by him or any of his family members and that there was an attempt to frame him.

Lawyers of the Allahabad High Court are already on an indefinite strike since March 25 demanding withdrawal of the Collegium’s recommendation to transfer Justice Varma to his parent high court.

Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna assured the bar leaders that their demand for withdrawal of the recommendation to transfer Justice Varma would be considered, Allahabad High Court Bar Association president Anil Tiwari told reporters after the meeting.

However, sources said the CJI did not promise anything.

Tiwari said the bar leaders and the Collegium members deliberated upon the memorandum of the bar bodies and the latter assured them that the demands of the bar bodies would be considered.

The Allahabad High Court Bar Association would consider if the indefinite strike should be withdrawn or not.

Earlier, in a memorandum submitted to the CJI's office, the bar leaders sought an appointment with him. They appreciated the steps taken by the CJI to embrace transparency and make public Delhi High Court Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya’s report and other materials on the top court’s website.

The memorandum urged the CJI to set the criminal law in motion in the matter as Justice Upadhyaya’s report indicated somebody removed the articles from Justice Varma's residence a day after the fire.

“In these kinds of crimes, there would be involvement of others and non-registration (of an FIR) would adversely affect their prosecution," it said.