The Delhi High Court on Friday (May 29, 2026) declined immediate relief to Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke over blocking of the party’s X handle on national security grounds.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said such relief could only be granted after hearing the government as the issue had far-reaching consequences.
Meanwhile, the court said Mr. Dipke could approach the review committee set up under the IT Rules, through video conferencing as he was abroad.
“It is directed that before the next date of hearing, the review committee examine all those aspects.
Petitioner [Mr. Dipke] is granted liberty to appear virtually,” the court ordered.
The Delhi High Court on Friday (May 29, 2026) declined immediate relief to Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke over blocking of the party’s X handle on national security grounds.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said such relief could only be granted after hearing the government as the issue had far-reaching consequences. The court issued notice to the Central government and posted the case for July 6.
Meanwhile, the court said Mr. Dipke could approach the review committee set up under the IT Rules, through video conferencing as he was abroad. The review committee meets at least once in every two months and record its findings whether the directions of blocking of content or information issued under these rules, the court said.
“It is directed that before the next date of hearing, the review committee examine all those aspects. Decision be taken on record. Petitioner [Mr. Dipke] is granted liberty to appear virtually,” the court ordered.
During the hearing, senior advocate Akhil Sibal, appearing for Mr. Dipke, submitted that the CJP account was “pure satire” and if there were some objectionable tweets, only those could be blocked instead of withholding the entire account.
Seeking interim unblocking of the handle, the counsel for Mr. Dipke urged the court to peruse the blocking order, which, he said, had not yet been supplied to him.
Justice Kaurav, however, observed that the blocking order was not on record and it would consider the petitioner’s request after the Centre filed a reply to the plea as the case had issues carrying “wider ramifications”.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said allowing the unblocking of the CJP’s handle at this stage itself would amount to allowing his petition.
The original X handle of the CJP was withheld in India on May 21, following which the group resurfaced with a new handle, ‘Cockroach is Back’, which presently has over 2,35,000 followers.
Launched on May 16, the CJP claims it wants to build an independent, youth-driven movement to amplify the concerns of the youth and hold the government accountable.
It recently started a campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged systemic failures in the education sector and the NEET-UG 2026 paper “leak”.
Mr. Dipke, who was earlier associated with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), launched the CJP amid a controversy over remarks attributed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on “cockroaches” and “parasites” during a hearing on May 15 on a plea concerning senior designation for a lawyer.
