Supreme Court Holds Off on Urgent Plea Against Justice Varma Amid Cash Discovery Row

The Supreme Court has postponed an urgent plea seeking an FIR against Justice Yashwant Varma. Despite an in-house inquiry revealing prima facie evidence, the court advises following proper mentioning procedures. The petition calls for criminal investigation post internal inquiry, challenging initial dismissal as premature.

In a decision on Wednesday, the Supreme Court deferred urgent hearing on a plea for an FIR against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court concerning a cash discovery issue.

Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih directed Mathews Nedumpara, the petitioning lawyer, to adhere to the standard mentioning procedure. This ruling comes despite a prior in-house inquiry panel finding the allegations against Justice Varma to be prima facie true, prompting calls for action from both a former Chief Justice of India and to high-profile political leaders including the President and Prime Minister.

The petitioners, including Nedumpara and three others, insist on a criminal investigation following the internal inquiry, although the Supreme Court had dismissed the plea as premature in March due to ongoing internal proceedings, a situation that they argue has now changed with the conclusion of the inquiry.

(With inputs from agencies.)