New Delhi:
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjeev Khanna said on Tuesday that a court needs to assess “both plus and minus arguments” in a case before reaching a conclusion.
The Chief Justice, who had marked his last day to the top, commented, as he first spoke on the cash line around the High Court Judge Yashwant Verma, Allahabad.
He said, “Judicial thinking is decisive and a judge reviews arguments before reaching a decision related to any case. In such a situation, we look at both the plus and minus arguments of a case and then decide what was right and what was wrong,” he asked for his views on the matter.
“The future will tell if it was right or wrong,” he said.
On 8 May, Chief Justice Khanna wrote to President Draupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the cash line, which was found in a storeroom associated with Justice Verma’s bungalow after the fire on 14 March.
Mr. Verma was a judge of the Delhi High Court at that time, and was transferred to the Allahabad High Court after the allegations were revealed.
“In the context of the in-house process by the Chief Justice of India, the President of India has written to the Prime Minister of Honorable and Honorable India, which has been received from 03.05.2025 as well as letter/response dated 06.05.2025 from Shri Justice Yashwant Verma along with 03.05.2025.”
The details of the report of the panel appointed by the apex court could not be ascertained immediately, but sources said that the Chief Justice had recommended initiation of action against the High Court judge.
Justice Verma has denied the allegations against him, and said no cash was placed in the storeroom by him or any member of his family.
On 22 March, however, Chief Justice Khanna formed a three-member committee to conduct an in-house investigation in the case and decided to upload on the website of the apex court. It included photos and videos of the alleged discovery of a huge stash of cash.
The panel consisted of Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the High Court of Punjab and Chief Justice of the High Court of Haryana, Justice GS Sandhwalia, Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka.
On 24 March, the Supreme Court Collegium recommended the repatriation of Justice Verma to its parents Allahabad High Court. After days on 28 March, it asked the Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court to not do any judicial work to Justice Verma.
