New Delhi: Senior advocate and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Sunday announced that the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) will create a legal framework to defend
protesters facing police action and legal cases, while also launching a dedicated online portal connecting affected individuals with lawyers willing to provide legal assistance. Addressing a press conference organised by the CJP, Sibal said he would personally contribute Rs 1 crore towards setting up a legal defence fund for protesters. "I will give Rs 1 crore for this," Sibal said, adding that the fund would also be opened for public contributions. According to Sibal, the money collected will be used exclusively for the legal protection of protesters. "This fund and every rupee collected will only be used for the protection of protesters. How it will be used is CJP's responsibility," he said. Website to Connect Protesters With Lawyers Sibal said the CJP will launch a dedicated website that will serve as a platform where protesters can seek legal help and lawyers from across the country can register to represent them. The proposed legal framework, he said, is aimed at ensuring that individuals facing FIRs, arrests or other legal proceedings in connection with protests receive timely legal representation. The announcement comes amid ongoing demonstrations over the NEET paper leak controversy and allegations of excessive police action against protesters during recent marches in Delhi. In recent days, the CJP has also announced plans to collect evidence of alleged police excesses through an online portal and pursue legal remedies. Sibal has been among the prominent legal voices criticising the police response to the protests, arguing that peaceful demonstrators must receive constitutional protection and access to legal remedies. The CJP has maintained that the legal initiative is intended to institutionalise legal aid for protesters and create a transparent mechanism for funding their defence. Further operational details, including the launch date of the lawyers' portal and eligibility for assistance, are yet to be announced.
