In a latest development, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has officially announced the formation of a three-member committee under the Judges (Inquiry) Act of 1968 to investigate Justice Yashwant Varma. The inquiry is significant as it comes after an impeachment motion submitted by 146 Lok Sabha members, raising concerns over the judge's conduct.

This action follows the discovery of unaccounted cash currencies at Justice Varma's official residence.

The committee members include Justice Arvind Kumar from the Supreme Court, Justice M M Shrivastava, Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, and Vasudeva Acharya, a Senior Advocate from the Karnataka High Court.

According to constitutional protocol, a judge can be removed under Articles 124 and 217 for "proved misbehavior" or "incapacity." The impeachment proceedings require a notice backed by a specific number of members from either the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha before they can proceed further.

The allegations stem from the accidental discovery of substantial currency notes at Justice Varma's residence during a fire-fighting operation on March 14. The incident sparked significant public controversy, prompting former Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna to form an internal inquiry committee of distinguished judges to assess the situation.

The committee initially found prima facie evidence of misconduct and submitted its findings to the then Chief Justice Khanna, who forwarded the report to the President and Prime Minister for further action after Justice Varma declined to resign.

Recently, the Supreme Court dismissed Justice Varma's petition challenging the internal inquiry and the recommendation for his removal, intensifying the scrutiny surrounding his judicial career.