Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Friday (October 16, 2026) that people who had come to the Supreme Court for relief, later turned around to “condemn, criticise” the institution.
The oral observation came during the hearing of a contempt petition filed by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), represented by senior advocate Pradeep Rai, against senior journalist Nikhil Wagle and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut over their public remarks against the Chief Justice of India.
Attorney-General R. Venkataramani had consented to the SCBA’s request to initiate contempt proceedings in the apex court.
“We had first thought to ignore it. But there are others who get instigated by all this and do things which are inappropriate. This completely disreputes this institution,” Mr. Rai submitted before a Bench of Chief Justice Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
Chief Justice Kant initially said people who make public comments against the judiciary don’t know they are being trapped.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present in the courtroom, said such disparaging comments were made “deliberately”. “They know. They understand. They do it deliberately. They believe it brings pressure on My Lords,” Mr. Mehta said.
“Each one of them had come in the past to the court, then later they condemn and criticise the court,” Chief Justice Kant observed whle issuing notice to Mr. Wagle and Mr. Raut.
The court exempted them from appearing in person and said the case would be heard soon.
The alleged remarks followed the CJI’s decision to decline a request by the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress party president Mallikarjun Kharge to meet him.
The CJI had refused on the grounds of judicial propriety and had asked them to file a petition on the judicial side. They subsequently filed a writ petition seeking an independent probe into allegations of arbitrary use of power by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.
Mr. Wagle allegedly posted a derogatory remark on X in reaction to the CJI’s decision to decline the request for a meeting. Mr. Raut also allegedly made objectionable remarks about judges on social media.
Published – October 16, 2026 02:34 pm IST
