The ‘Cash Scandal’ has sparked yet another serious dispute within the judiciary. Justice Shard Kumar Sharma, a member of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), accuses a High Court judge of touching base with him to secure a ruling that would side with a named plaintiff. He has not disclosed the judge’s name. Following this alleged interaction, Justice Sharma states he withdrew from the proceeding. The High Court judge in question is described as one of the most respected jurists. The Supreme Court has instructed an investigation into the situation.
The Secretary General of the Supreme Court will oversee the inquiry, trying to ascertain the identity of the High Court judge who approached Justice Sharma. The Justice has not named the judge.
The ‘Cash Scandal’ refers to events connected to Justice Yeshwant Verma. On the night of Holi last March, a fire swept through Verma’s official bungalow. At the time, Justice and his spouse were not home, leading to a large deployment of fire brigades and police. While fighting the blaze, authorities found an enormous pile of notes inside the house, claimed to cover an entire room.
In response, the Chief Justice convened a three‑judge committee to examine the matter. The panel includes Shil Nag, Chief Judge of the Punjab & Haryana High Court; G. S. Sandhawalia, Chief Judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court; and Justice Anu Shivaram from Karnataka.