The Supreme Court, on July 28, 2025, intensely questioned Allahabad High Court Judge Yashwant Varma over his petition to quash an in-house inquiry report that found him guilty of misconduct in a cash discovery scandal. On March 14, 2025, a fire at Varma’s Delhi residence, where he was then a Delhi High Court judge, revealed Rs. 15 crore in partially burnt currency in an outhouse storeroom.

A three-judge panel, led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, concluded after a 10-day probe, examining 55 witnesses, that Varma and his family had “covert or active control” over the cash, prompting then-CJI Sanjiv Khanna’s May 8 recommendation for impeachment.

Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih challenged Varma’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, asking, “Why did you appear before the inquiry committee? Did you hope for a favorable order?” They criticized Varma for not including the inquiry report in his plea and for delayed action against a Supreme Court website video that sparked public outcry.

Sibal argued the inquiry violated Article 124, lacked procedural fairness, and reversed the burden of proof, while media exposure fueled an unconstitutional public trial. The court directed Sibal to submit a one-page summary and revise the memo of parties, scheduling the next hearing for July 30.