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‘Uploading burnt cash video on website does not mean lapse in procedure’: Supreme Court to Justice Varma
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Justice Varma, said that a tape was uploaded on the SC website which had damaged the judge's reputation.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that the uploading of the video of burnt cash found at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma does not mean the process has been vitiated.
While the SC agreed with Varma's submission that the video of burnt wads of currency notes should not have been uploaded, it said that this does not mean a lapse in procedure, PTI news agency reported.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Justice Varma, said that a tape showing the burnt currency notes was uploaded on the SC website, adding that the judge's reputation had been damaged. Sibal said this in response to the question on the delay in approaching the top court.
"Tape was released. It was already released, my reputation already damaged. What would I come to court for?" Sibal asked.
Responding to his argument, a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A G Masih said that they agreed with the submission. “We are with you on this for the time being. It should not have been done,” Justice Datta said.
However, he added that this does not mean a lapse in the procedure which would affect the powers of the Parliament to take action against Varma. He emphasised that the Parliament had its own powers.
Impeachment proceedings to be independent of in-house report: SC
The SC bench said that the impeachment proceedings in Parliament would be held independently, without reference to the in-house committee report.
Justice Datta said that the Parliament would not be guided by the recommendations of the judiciary or the Chief Justice of India, and would act independently on the matter.
He further stated that if the motion to impeach Justice Varma is allowed and an inquiry committee is set up, it would not be influenced by the judicial process.
“Do you think those members, people of high calibre, would be influenced by preliminary report where you will have whole opportunity to demolish what are the findings,” Datta questioned.
