Cockroach Janata Party X Ban: Delhi HC Refuses Interim Relief, Calls Content 'Slightly Offensive'

The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to grant immediate interim relief to the satirical online collective Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in a case concerning the blocking of its account on social media platform X. The court observed that some of the content posted by the group appeared “slightly offensive” and said the matter required broader consideration before any direction could be issued. The petition was filed by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke after the group’s X account was withheld in India following a legal demand.

A bench headed by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said it would hear the Center and social media platform X before passing any order regarding the restoration of the account. The court noted that in previous cases, accounts had been restored while allegedly offensive posts remained blocked temporarily. However, after examining the communication issued by X to Dipke, the bench remarked that the present matter appeared different because the “entire activity” itself could be considered objectionable in nature.

Despite declining interim relief, the high court issued notice on the petition and directed both the Centre and X to file a comprehensive affidavit explaining their positions in the matter. The court also granted Dipke the liberty to approach the Centre’s review committee constituted under Rule 14 of the Information Technology Blocking Rules, 2009. The review committee has the authority to examine blocking orders and recommend unblocking if it finds the action unjustified.

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The court directed the review committee to place its findings before the bench on the next date of hearing scheduled for July 6. During the proceedings, senior advocate Akhil Sibal, appearing for Dipke along with advocate Nakul Gandhi, argued that the court had granted similar interim protection in several earlier matters. Sibal requested restoration of the account while allowing the allegedly offending posts to remain blocked. However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre along with Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma and standing counsel Avshreya Rudy, opposed the plea and argued that such an order would amount to allowing the petition at the interim stage itself.

The controversy surrounding the Cockroach Janata Party emerged after remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a hearing related to the designation of senior advocates. Reports had claimed that “youngsters” entering the profession were referred to as “cockroaches” and "parasites," triggering widespread reactions online. The chief justice later clarified that his remarks had been misquoted and were actually directed at individuals entering the legal profession with fake or bogus degrees. The online collective subsequently adopted the “Cockroach” identity as a form of satire and digital protest.

The group gained rapid popularity on social media within days of its launch, attracting attention from opposition leaders and youth groups. Its original X handle, '@CJP_2029,' was later withheld in India in response to a legal demand, prompting Dipke to publicly criticize the move. Shortly afterward, the group resurfaced under a new handle named “Cockroach is back." Opposition leaders, including members of the Trinamool Congress, amplified the campaign online, while several political commentators described the movement as reflecting frustration among unemployed youth over issues such as inflation, jobs, and governance.

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