The Supreme Court of India has recently rejected an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, seeking access to the in-house inquiry report concerning Justice Yashwant Varma, as well as the letter from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) to the President and the Prime Minister forwarding the inquiry report. The Central Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Supreme Court declined the request, citing provisions of the RTI Act that exempt disclosure of information related to the independence of the judiciary, fiduciary relationships, and privacy concerns. The decision referenced the Supreme Court’s judgment in the case of Supreme Court of India vs. Subhash Chandra Agarwal, which established tests for determining the disclosure of judicial records.

The controversy involving Justice Varma began following a fire at his official residence in Delhi on March 14, 2025, during which firefighters reportedly discovered large amounts of cash. Subsequently, a three-member in-house inquiry committee was constituted by the CJI to investigate the allegations. The committee’s report, submitted on May 4, 2025, reportedly found the allegations credible. In response, the CJI recommended that Justice Varma resign; however, Justice Varma refused to do so. Consequently, the CJI forwarded the inquiry report, along with Justice Varma’s response, to President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for further action.

In a related development, the Supreme Court also rejected a petition seeking the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against Justice Varma. The Court emphasized that the matter had already been addressed through the in-house inquiry process and that any further action was within the jurisdiction of the President and the Prime Minister. The petitioners were advised to first approach the appropriate authorities before seeking judicial intervention.

Additionally, Congress Member of Parliament Vivek Tankha has raised concerns regarding the lack of transparency in the handling of the case. He has urged that the inquiry report be made available to Parliament, emphasizing the need for legislative oversight in matters involving judicial accountability.

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