The Supreme Court on Friday (May 15, 2026) expressed concern over the growing number of lawyers allegedly holding fake law degrees, and observed that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) should ideally investigate the issue.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said, “thousands of fraudulent people wearing black robes with serious doubts about their degrees”.

CJI on CBI investigation on law degrees

The CJI remarked that he was waiting for an appropriate case to order a CBI investigation into the law degrees of many Delhi advocates, who are posting many things on social media, and the CBI needs to do something.

CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was pulling up a lawyer for "pursuing" a senior advocate designation. It said there were already "parasites" in society who attack the system and asked the petitioner whether he wanted to join hands with them.

"The entire world may be eligible to become senior (advocate), but at least you are not entitled," the Bench told the petitioner lawyer.

A visibly anguished CJI observed that if the Delhi High Court would confer senior advocate designation upon the petitioner, the apex court would set that aside seeing his professional conduct.

The CJI also referred to the kind of language used by the petitioner on Facebook.

“There are already parasites of society who attack the system and you want to join hands with them?" he said.

CJI on activists

Likening some unemployed youngsters to cockroaches, CJI on Friday (May 15, 2026) said they go on to "become" media, social media and RTI activists and start attacking the system.

"There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don't get any employment or have any place in profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, RTI activists and other activists and they start attacking everyone," he said.

The Bench also asked the petitioner whether he did not have any other litigation.

"Is this the conduct of a person who seeks to be designated as a senior advocate?" the Bench asked.

It said senior advocate designation is something that is conferred on a person and is not to be pursued.

"You are pursuing it. Does it look proper?" the top court said, asking whether a senior advocate designation was a status symbol to be kept ornamentally.

It also observed that it wanted to ask the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to verify the degrees of many of those who were wearing black robes as there were serious doubts over the genuineness of their degrees.

It said the Bar Council of India would never do anything on this issue as they "need their votes".

The petitioner apologised to the Bench and sought permission to withdraw the petition. The Bench allowed the withdrawal of the petition.

(With inputs from ANI)