The Delhi High Court on Monday (September 21, 2026) declined to entertain a petition seeking registration of an FIR and a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) or the CBI into the alleged discovery of a large quantity of cash following a fire at the residence of former Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Varma.

Justice Amit Bansal questioned the petitioner’s locus and pointed out that he had other remedies available under law. The judge also asked why the petitioner, advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay, had not approached the trial court seeking registration of an FIR.

“I’m not entertaining this. This is a wild witch hunt. You have nothing better to do?” the court remarked.

Mr. Upadhyay submitted that the circumstances surrounding the incident were “extraordinary” and argued that the lower court could not “do justice to the matter”.

“This is regarding Justice Yashwant Varma. Criminal law can be set into motion by anyone. There is no embargo,” he said.

When the court indicated that it was inclined to dismiss the petition, Mr. Upadhyay withdrew it, stating that he would pursue the remedies available in law.

The petitioner had previously moved the Supreme Court with a similar plea, which was dismissed in August.

The matter relates to the alleged discovery of a large quantity of cash after a fire broke out at Mr. Varma’s official residence in Lutyens’ Delhi at around 11.35 p.m. on March 14, 2025, the night of Holi. Fire department personnel were called to the residence and doused the flames.

The alleged cash discovery triggered a controversy surrounding Mr. Varma, who was then serving as a Delhi High Court judge. He was subsequently transferred to the Allahabad High Court, his parent high court.

Mr. Varma, who faced impeachment proceedings, resigned as a judge on April 9 this year. He tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu.

The removal proceedings initiated against him by the Lok Sabha subsequently became “infructuous” following his resignation. Mr. Varma was otherwise due to retire on January 5, 2031.