Supreme Court sets aside Justice Varma's plea challenging in-house inquiry in cash row
PTC News Desk: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Justice Yashwant Varma's plea challenging in-house inquiry report that recommended his removal after pile of cash was recovered from his residence earlier this year.
The apex court's verdict now sets in motion the impeachment proceedings against the judge who had also challenged the then CJI's recommendation to the President to remove him.
A bench comprising Justices Dipanker Datta and AG Masih observed that constituting in-house committee and subsequent inquiry was legal.
"The CJI and the in-house committee scrupulously followed the process except uploading photos and video, and we have said it was not required. But nothing turned on it because you did not challenge it then," the Supreme Court said.
"We have held that CJI sending letter to the Prime Minister and President was not unconstitutional. We have made certain observations where we have kept it open for you to raise proceedings if needed in the future," the court further said.
The court maintained that there was no violation of the petitioner's fundamental rights.
"The in-house procedure enjoys legal sanctity and is not a parallel mechanism outside the constitutional framework," the top court said.
During the hearing Justice Varma's counsel Kapil Sibbal argued in court that it was not under in-house committee's jurisdiction to recommend a judge's removal and its ambit was restricted to only advice Chief Justice.
- PTC NEWS
