Delhi High Court Denies Immediate Relief to Cockroach People's Party
Court's Decision on Social Media Account
In a significant legal setback for the Cockroach People's Party (CJP), the Delhi High Court declined to restore the X account led by Abhijit Dipke on Friday. The court found certain content posted on the social media account to be somewhat objectionable and refused to grant immediate relief on Dipke's petition. The court emphasized the need for a "comprehensive consideration" of the matter, stating that any orders would be issued only after hearing from both the government and the X platform. The bench, presided over by Justice Purushendra Kumar Kaul, assured the central government's lawyer that the court would listen to the government's arguments before passing any orders.
Legal Representation and Arguments
Abhijit Dipke was represented by lawyer Akhil Sibal, who mentioned that he had no objections if certain allegedly objectionable posts remained blocked. To support his argument, Sibal referenced previous cases where the court had granted interim relief. According to reports, the bench responded by noting that there appeared to be some differences between this case and others, suggesting that the overall activity in this instance seemed somewhat objectionable. Although the court denied immediate relief, it provided Dipke with the opportunity to present his case before the central review committee responsible for examining orders to block social media accounts.
Background of the Case
The CJP began as a satirical organization but has recently gained popularity among Indian youth and opposition parties, claiming that its social media handle on X has been blocked. Abhijit Dipke shared a screenshot of the pop-up that appeared when attempting to access the X account, captioning it, "As expected, the Cockroach People's Party account has been blocked in India." This incident coincided with the CJP's rising popularity on social media, surpassing even national parties like the BJP on platforms like Instagram.