New Delhi: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on May 15, 2026, flagged the prevalence of lawyers with fraudulent law degrees, remarking that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should verify the credentials of advocates practising in Delhi and expressing doubt about the Bar Council of India’s willingness to act in the matter.
The observations were made by a Bench comprising CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi while hearing a petition filed by Advocate Sanjay Dubey seeking contempt of court action over the Delhi High Court’s alleged delay in implementing the Supreme Court’s senior advocate designation guidelines.
Flagging the conduct of certain lawyers on social media, CJI Surya Kant remarked: “I am waiting for some matter… I want the CBI to verify the LLB degrees of most of the Delhi people… in Tis Hazari so and so… the kind of Facebook and things they are putting… do they think we are not watching? BCI will not do anything… thousands of them are fraudulent people who are wearing black robes… I have serious doubts about the genuineness of their law degrees. Probably, CBI will have to do something. BCI will never do it because they are hands in glove; they are absolutely in collusion.”
The Chief Justice further observed that there were enough “parasites” in society already attacking the judiciary and cautioned lawyers against joining hands with them.
“There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them? There are youngsters like cockroaches who don’t get any employment and don’t have any place in the profession. Some of them become media persons, some become social media influencers, some become RTI activists, some become other activists, and they start attacking everyone… and you people file contempt petitions!” the CJI said.
The Bench also took strong objection to the language allegedly used by the petitioner on social media, with CJI Surya Kant stating: “Let people understand the kind of language you’re using on Facebook. I will show you what discipline in the profession means.”
Justice Bagchi questioned the petitioner on the purpose of pursuing senior advocate designation through litigation, asking: “Is a senior advocate tag a status symbol to be ornamentally kept, or is it meant for participation in the justice delivery system?”
The Court refused to entertain the petition, observing that senior advocate designation is a status to be conferred and not something to be pursued through litigation. The petitioner subsequently withdrew the plea.
Case Details: Sanjay Dubey v. Delhi High Court & Ors., Supreme Court of India. Before CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi. Hearing dated May 15, 2026.
