RTI Activist Seeks Probe into CJP Founder's Finances and Legal Defence Fund
Quick Look
Surat-based RTI activist Amit Tiwari sought probes into CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke's father's finances for funding education abroad and the legal defence fund pledged by Kapil Sibal for CJP protesters, questioning its registration and GST applicability.
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Why It Matters
An RTI activist initiated probes into the financial dealings related to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), specifically questioning the funding of its founder's education and the legality of a recently announced legal defence fund.
SURAT: A Surat-based RTI activist on Saturday said he had sought an inquiry into the finances of CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke’s father, a retired government employee who had funded his son’s education abroad. Activist Amit Tiwari also said he had written to the Election Commission of India and the Central GST authorities regarding the legal defence fund announced by senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal for CJP protesters facing police cases.
Tiwari said he has sought a probe into the financial status of Dipke's father, Bhagwanrao Dipke, a retired Maharashtra government employee, questioning how he was able to fund his son's higher education abroad. "The Cockroach Janta Party is an unregistered entity but is operating as a political party....If Rs 1 crore has been pledged to it as a legal defence fund, then the EC should verify whether the CJP is registered with it under section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951," he told PTI. "If not registered, then its operation under the name of a political party and collection/receipt of funds may require examination," he said.
Tiwari wrote to the CBEC, asking it to examine whether 18% GST would be applicable on the Rs 1 crore pledged by Sibal for the legal defence fund of CJP protesters. On Monday, Sibal announced a contribution of Rs 1 crore to a fund set up by CJP to provide legal aid to protesters arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the agitation over the NEET paper leak controversy.
Open Questions
- Will the EC register CJP?
- Will GST be applied to the legal defence fund?
- Will Bhagwanrao Dipke's finances be investigated?
