‘Too Serious To Rely On Gossip, Let Inquiry Decide’: Former Justice Sharad Bobde On Allegations Against Justice Yashwant Verma

Former Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Sharad Bobde has weighed in on the ongoing controversy surrounding Justice Yashwant Verma, calling the situation “far too serious” to be left to speculation, gossip, or prejudice. In an interview with Sambhav Sharma, Special Correspondent at NewsX, Justice Bobde emphasized the need to wait for the inquiry committee’s report before drawing conclusions.

“The Chief Justice of India has already formed a committee to investigate this. We must wait and suspend our judgment until the committee completes its inquiry. Once the report is out, only then can we discuss what action should be taken,” he said.

He also pointed out the conflicting reports surrounding the case. “Even the fire service chief initially denied that any cash was found, but later changed his version. Clearly, something is unclear here. We need to wait for the facts,” he added.

When asked whether such allegations have been made against judges before, Justice Bobde confirmed that this is not an unprecedented situation. “Oh yes, there have been several such cases. Even within the Supreme Court, allegations have surfaced in the past,” he stated.

However, he stopped short of discussing specific cases, reiterating that every allegation should be handled on a case-by-case basis, following the appropriate judicial process.

With increasing discussions about the role of the Supreme Court collegium, Justice Bobde clarified that this matter does not fall under its jurisdiction. “I don’t think it’s a collegium matter. This is for the Chief Justice to decide—whether an in-house inquiry is needed, based on the rules framed by the Supreme Court itself,” he explained.

One of the biggest concerns surrounding such allegations is their impact on public trust in the judiciary. Justice Bobde stressed that maintaining credibility is a shared responsibility between the judiciary, the legal fraternity, and even educational institutions that train future lawyers and judges.

“The judiciary alone cannot ensure public trust. The bar and the bench both share equal responsibility. After all, where do judges come from? The bar. It’s up to all of us to maintain the integrity of the system,” he remarked.

Justice Bobde also acknowledged that there have been instances where legal professionals have played a questionable role. “There have been cases where complaints were made against members of the legal community, including a past Delhi High Court Bar Association president,” he noted. “But the key point here is that accountability must be upheld across the board.”

With the inquiry committee’s findings yet to be released, Justice Bobde urged the public and media to avoid jumping to conclusions. He reaffirmed that only after the report is submitted can appropriate action be discussed. “Until we have clear facts, we should not make assumptions,” he concluded.

As the case unfolds, all eyes will be on the Chief Justice of India and the Supreme Court’s response, which will ultimately determine how the allegations against Justice Yashwant Verma are handled.

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