‘Youngsters Like Cockroaches’: What Made CJI Surya Kant Use That Word From the Bench? The Hearing That Shocked the Legal World

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant made one of the most striking remarks from the bench in recent memory on Friday, comparing a section of young people to “cockroaches” while raising alarm over fake law degrees, social media conduct and what he described as organised attacks on judicial institutions.

The comments came during a Supreme Court hearing on a plea alleging that the Delhi High Court had failed to implement the Supreme Court’s own guidelines on the designation of senior advocates.

What the CJI Said

The CJI did not hold back. “There are already parasites of society who attack the system, and you want to join hands with them?” he said, before going further.

“There are youngsters like cockroaches, who don’t get any employment and don’t have a place in a profession. Some of them become media, some of them become social media, some of them become RTI activists, some of them become other activists, and they start attacking everyone…”

Fake Degrees in the Crosshairs

CJI Surya Kant said he had “serious doubts” about the authenticity of law degrees held by several Delhi-based advocates, particularly those active on social media. He said he was waiting for the right case to order a formal investigation into the law degrees of many Delhi lawyers, and suggested the Central Bureau of Investigation should be brought in to examine the matter.

The bench, comprising CJI Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, also referred to “thousands of fraudulent people wearing black robes.”

Plea Withdrawn After Warning

The CJI declined to entertain the plea and took direct aim at the online conduct of the petitioner’s lawyer. “Let people understand the kind of language you are using on Facebook. I will show you what discipline in the profession means,” he said, warning that professional standards were being eroded.

Also Read: 4-Year-Old Boy Safely Rescued After Plunging into Borewell in Punjab

The petitioner subsequently chose to withdraw the plea.

The matter has a prior history. The same lawyer had earlier filed a writ petition challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision not to consider him for senior advocate designation, followed by a contempt petition alleging non-compliance with a Supreme Court order. That contempt plea was dismissed by the apex court in December last year.