A Right to Information (RTI) activist from Surat has sought a probe into the financial background of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, raising questions about how his higher education abroad was funded. The activist has also asked authorities to examine the party’s funding and legal status, as well as a proposed legal defence fund announced for CJP supporters.
Questions raised over education expenses
RTI activist Amit Tiwari has asked for an examination of the finances of Dipke’s father, Bhagwanrao Dipke, a retired Maharashtra government employee. According to Tiwari, authorities should verify whether the family’s financial position matches the cost of sending Abhijeet Dipke abroad for higher studies.
He has requested that the matter be looked into by the concerned authorities to find out whether the funding source was in line with the family’s declared financial status.
Election Commission asked to verify CJP’s status
Apart from raising questions about the family’s finances, Tiwari has also written to the Election Commission of India seeking clarity on the legal status of the Cockroach Janta Party.
He said the CJP is functioning as a political party even though it is not registered with the Election Commission. Referring to Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Tiwari said the poll body should verify whether the organisation is officially registered.
According to him, if the CJP is not registered, its use of the name of a political party and its collection or receipt of funds should be examined by the Election Commission.
Rs 1 crore legal defence fund also under scanner
Tiwari has also approached the Income Tax authorities and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), seeking scrutiny of a Rs 1 crore legal defence fund announced by senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal.
Earlier this week, Sibal announced a contribution of Rs 1 crore to a fund created by the CJP. The fund has been set up to provide legal assistance to protesters who were arrested by the Delhi Police during demonstrations over the NEET paper leak controversy.
In his representation to the CBIC, Tiwari also asked officials to examine whether Goods and Services Tax (GST) provisions would apply to Sibal’s proposed contribution to the legal defence fund.
The requests made by the RTI activist seek scrutiny of the financial, legal and regulatory aspects related to the CJP, its funding, and the education expenses of its founder. The concerned authorities are yet to respond publicly to the representations.
