On Thursday, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed concerns over the absence of an FIR in the cash recovery case linked to Delhi High Court judge Yashwant Verma’s residence. He emphasized that filing an FIR for cognizable offenses is a legal obligation, with constitutional exemptions applicable only to the President and Governors.
Despite the issue surfacing over a month ago, Dhankhar highlighted the lack of progress in the investigation, noting that it came to public attention a week post-incident. Stressing the significance of the rule of law, he asserted that the integrity of the criminal justice system is crucial in a democracy, and failure to file an FIR constitutes a crime in itself.
Dhankhar also pointed out the expectation to seek judicial approval before filing an FIR against a judge, despite no such requirement appearing in the Constitution, which only exempts top officials. He criticized the establishment of a privileged legal category, undermining equality before the law.
Advocating for transparency and accountability among the branches of government, he questioned the constitutionality of a three-judge committee assigned to investigate the case, arguing that investigative roles should be confined to Parliament, not the judiciary, thereby protecting the principles of rule of law and public accountability.
