NEW DELHI, AUGUST 3: Cockroach Janta Party founder Abhijeet Dipke rejected claims regarding his family finances on Sunday, stating that a Boston University scholarship alongside a student loan financed his studies in the United States. Speaking in an interview with senior journalist Barkha Dutt, Dipke dismissed suggestions that unexplained family wealth funded his higher education, presenting his scholarship award letter and affirming that he remains personally responsible for repaying the loan.
The statement follows complaints submitted on August 1 by Surat-based activist Amit Tiwari to several authorities, including the Maharashtra government. Tiwari raised questions over how a former junior engineer in the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, earning a monthly salary of Rs 60,000 to 65,000, could finance overseas university education for his children.
Abhijeet Dipke stated that his party plans to rely exclusively on public crowdfunding for operational funding while ensuring complete transparency regarding all incoming contributions. Referring to recent nationwide demonstrations against NEET paper leaks, he asserted that citizens sustained the movement through voluntary contributions of food and water. He maintained that several Delhi Police personnel privately offered support and water bottles anonymously, as their own children were preparing for the examinations.
The financial framework and regulatory status of the CJP have faced heightened attention following senior advocate Kapil Sibal’s announcement of a Rs 1 crore legal aid fund for arrested demonstrators. In response, Tiwari petitioned the Election Commission of India to examine the CJP’s official status and the legal aid contribution.
CJP spokesperson Vaishnavi Gaur declared that the allegations against the party leadership are politically motivated. She maintained on social media platform X that those questioning private university fees should apply similar scrutiny to public funds such as PM CARES.
