SC seeks response of Centre, BCI, CBI on plea seeking probe into activities of persons associated with CJP

The Supreme Court of India has requested responses from the Centre, the Bar Council of India, the CBI, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology regarding a plea seeking investigation into the activities of individuals associated with the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The CJP emerged following remarks made by Chief Justice Surya Kant during a court hearing in May, which sparked a Gen-Z protest against the NEET-UG paper leak.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V Mohana took note of the petition filed by advocate Raja Choudhary, who presented himself as a party-in-person. The petition also raises concerns about the alleged commercial exploitation, trademark appropriation, and monetized circulation of oral observations made during judicial proceedings.

It asserts that parts of the May 15 proceedings were selectively edited and disseminated as memes, videos, mimicry, political branding, and other commercial content. The lawyer argues that the matter requires a thorough investigation into how the term "cockroach," used by the CJI in a different judicial context, was selectively chosen, edited, and exploited commercially to tarnish judicial dignity and harm institutional integrity.

The plea seeks directions to authorities to examine and take appropriate action against entities allegedly involved in commercial exploitation, trademark appropriation, monetized circulation, or unauthorized use of oral courtroom observations or metaphors, including those related to the CJP. It acknowledges that fair criticism, democratic dissent, satire, and free speech are protected under the Constitution, but they should not undermine judicial dignity.