Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has appointed Advocate Karan Umesh Salvi as a consultant to assist the judges' inquiry committee investigating allegations of corruption against Justice Yashwant Varma, following the recovery of cash during a fire at his residence earlier this year.
On August 12, the Speaker initiated the process to impeach Justice Varma from his position as a High Court judge. A Committee was formed to investigate the discovery of cash at Justice Varma's official residence.
The Committee has been constituted under the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968 and comprises the Supreme Court’s Justice Aravind Kumar, Madras High Court Chief Justice Madan Mohan Srivastav and Senior Advocate BV Acharya.
The panel was set up following a motion supported in the Lok Sabha for initiating impeachment proceedings against Justice Varma.
Salvi, in his role as consultant, will support the Committee in legal research, coordination of proceedings and preparation of the final inquiry report. This report will be submitted to the Lok Sabha and could form the basis for further action, including potential impeachment, if the allegations are substantiated.
Earlier, Advocates Rohan Singh and Sameeksha Dua were also appointed as consultants to assist the committee.
An in-house panel constituted by the Supreme Court had earlier indicted the judge and recommended his removal.
[Read Order]