Collegium shifts another Delhi HC judge

The transfer had been under consideration for some time but was expedited following recent developments and questions about transparency in the judiciary

The Supreme Court collegium has recommended the transfer of Delhi high court judge justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma to the Calcutta high court, marking another significant judicial reshuffle in the wake of allegations against justice Yashwant Varma following the purported discovery of cash at his residence.

Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma

The collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna, made the recommendation on Thursday. The transfer had been under consideration for some time but was expedited following recent developments and questions about transparency in the judiciary, according to people familiar with the matter.

“The move to shift this judge was under contemplation for some time. Following the controversy surrounding justice Varma, the collegium was firm that the transfer had to be effected immediately,” said a person aware of the discussions.

Justice Sharma, who joined the Delhi Judicial Service in 1992 and was promoted to the Delhi Higher Judicial Service in 2003, took oath as a judge of the Delhi high court in February 2022.

The judiciary has been in the spotlight since a large amount of cash was reportedly discovered at justice Varma’s residence on March 14. Firefighters responding to a minor fire allegedly found bundles of cash in a storeroom, some of which were charred. Justice Varma and his wife were in Bhopal at the time of the incident.

People aware of the matter added that the government notifications on transfers of justice Varma as well as another Delhi high court judge, justice CD Singh, is expected soon. “The government has started processing both the files and the notifications should be out in a day or two,” one of the persons cited above said.

The collegium’s recommendation to repatriate justice Singh to the Allahabad high court has been pending with the government since November 2024.