Hours after controversy broke out over the alleged recovery of unaccounted cash from the residence of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, the Supreme Court has now denied claims that the Collegium has recommended his transfer to the Allahabad High Court.

According to a press release issued by the Supreme Court, the Collegium is yet to make any official recommendation to transfer him; rather, the proposal is still under consideration. The judicial appointments body has sought inputs from consultee judges of the Supreme Court, the Chief Justices of the concerned High Courts and Justice Varma himself on the proposal.

"Responses received will be examined and, thereupon, the Collegium will pass a resolution," the press release said.

Pertinently, the press release stated that the transfer proposal is independent of the in-house inquiry initiated by the Court against Justice Varma over the allegations of cash recovery from his house.

Times of India had reported earlier today that a huge amount of unaccounted cash was recovered from the residence of Varma. It was also reported that this had prompted Collegium to recommend his transfer to Allahabad.

It was later confirmed that the Supreme Court's full court also initiated an inquiry into the cash recovery episode.

However, the Supreme Court press release states that the transfer and the in-house probe are independent of each other.

As per the apex court's press release, while the in-house probe was pursuant to the cash recovery allegations, the transfer proposal is independent of that.

"The proposal for transfer of Mr. Justice Yashwant Varma, who is the second senior most Judge in the Delhi High Court and a member of the Collegium, to his parent High Court i.e. the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad, where he will be ninth in seniority, is independent and separate from the In-house enquiry procedure," the press release stated.

The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court commenced the in-house inquiry procedure, collecting evidence and information prior to the Collegium meeting of March 20, it added.

The Chief Justice will be submitting his report to Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna later today and the report will be examined and processed for further and necessary action, the top court said.