CBI probe into 'Cockroach Janta Party' sought in new Supreme Court plea

A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of India seeking action against the "Cockroach Janata Party" (CJP), a satirical online political movement, over allegations of commercially exploiting recent judicial remarks.

The plea, submitted on Sunday by practising advocate Raja Chaudhary, claims the group’s formation and subsequent trademarking of the 'CJP' name amounts to the manipulation of an oral exchange from May 15. During those proceedings, Chief Justice Surya Kant used the term "cockroaches" to describe individuals using fake degrees to enter professions and target institutions online.

Despite a subsequent judicial clarification notes that the comments targeted fraudulent qualification holders rather than youth, the petition laments how the US-based ‘digital movement’—started by Boston resident Abhijeet Dipke—has leveraged the phrase for gaining publicity and satire branding.

Crucially, the plea warns of the broader impact on the legal system, stating: “Selective extraction and sensational dissemination of oral exchanges increasingly distort administration of justice and transform judicial proceedings into media spectacle…”

Also read: Cockroach Janta Party and the anxiety of power in India

In addition to targeting the CJP, Chaudhary has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the underlying issue of fake advocates and fraudulent law degrees compromising professional standards.