A 1991 Supreme Court ruling (K. Veeraswami v. Union of India) requires prior consultation with the Chief Justice of India (CJI) before any FIR can be lodged against a High Court or Supreme Court judge. When sacks of burnt cash were found following a March fire at Varma’s Delhi residence, the CJI ordered a three‑judge in‑house probe instead of immediate FIR. The Supreme Court repeatedly said petitions for FIR are premature until that internal process concludes . On May 21, the Supreme Court declined to entertain any plea for FIR, directing petitioners to await the in‑house inquiry report and then approach the President/PM or Parliament. It also said decisions on FIR or impeachment can only follow via proper channels. India’s Vice President (Jagdeep Dhankhar) has highlighted that under this judicially established procedure, law enforcement cannot register an FIR without sanction from the CJI—a safeguard that effectively delays criminal proceedings .

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