The Delhi High Court, led by Justice Amit Bansal, declined to entertain a petition filed by lawyer Ghanshyam Upadhyay on Monday, dismissing the request to register an FIR and order a Special Investigation Team or CBI probe into former judge Yashwant Varma. Bansal called the petition a "wild witch hunt" and asked why the petitioner had not approached the trial court first. He also questioned the petitioner's standing, noting that the petitioner had previously sought a similar redress at the Supreme Court, which was dismissed in August.
The petition hinges on an incident that unfolded on the night of Holi, March 14, 2025, when a fire broke out at Varma's Lutyens' Delhi residence at about 11:35 pm. Firefighters arrived within minutes and contained the blaze, but reporters and officials later reported that a massive cash stash—amounting to several crores—was discovered nearby. The find sparked a media frenzy and led to Varma's transfer to the Allahabad High Court, his parent high court, amid ongoing impeachment proceedings.
Varma, who resigned on April 9, 2025, had submitted a resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu. His resignation nullified the Lok Sabha's removal proceedings, rendering them "infructuous." The judge was slated to retire on January 5, 2031, but the resignation cut short that process.
After the Delhi High Court dismissed the petition, Upadhyay withdrew it, opting instead to explore other legal remedies. The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed a similar plea in August, leaving the petitioner with no immediate avenue for redress. Unless the petitioner files a fresh claim in another court, the matter will remain closed.
Residents of the Lutyens' neighbourhood recalled the sudden rush of fire engines and the stunned silence that followed the cash discovery, illustrating how the case has rattled the community.