New Delhi: Senior advocate and Independent Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday announced a legal support initiative for Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protesters facing FIRs and police action, pledging Rs 1 crore to establish a legal defence fund and calling on lawyers across India to join the effort.
Addressing a press conference here alongside CJP spokesperson Saurav Das, Sibal said the initiative would create a central framework to document cases involving students and protesters facing legal action. A dedicated website will also be launched to allow lawyers from across the country to register and volunteer legal assistance in their respective regions.
He said the network would ensure legal representation wherever protesters face alleged misuse of the law or false cases arising from their participation in the peaceful demonstrations. Sibal also appealed to members of the legal fraternity and the public to contribute to the fund so that legal aid can be extended nationwide.
The announcement comes after the CJP alleged that, despite assurances from the Centre, protesters continue to face action by state authorities.
In a statement, the CJP claimed that protesters were being targeted, detained or arrested by various state agencies, particularly in NDA-ruled Assam, West Bengal and Bihar. It said its decision to withdraw the protests was based on assurances from the Union government that no punitive action would be taken against participants in BJP- or NDA-ruled states.
Describing the reported detentions as a “serious breach of trust”, the CJP said its legal team was already coordinating with lawyers in the affected states to secure the release of those detained and provide legal assistance.
Dear @JPNadda @DrJitendraSingh ji,
We are observing a complete breach of the agreement regarding no police action against the protestors. Hundreds of students have been arrested in Bihar and Bengal, and hundreds are being surveilled/harrassed in Delhi and other states. Multiple…
— Ashutosh Ranka (@AshutoshRanka) July 27, 2026
The CJP urged the Centre, particularly Union ministers J.P. Nadda and Jitendra Singh, to honour the commitments made during negotiations by ensuring the immediate release of detainees, preventing any retaliatory action against protesters, and facilitating the withdrawal of all FIRs registered in connection with the protests.
Separately, CJP leader Ashutosh Ranka, in a post addressed to Union Ministers J.P. Nadda and Dr. Jitendra Singh, alleged a “complete breach” of the agreement on refraining from police action against protesters.
He claimed that hundreds of students have been arrested in Bihar and West Bengal, while many others were being surveilled or harassed in Delhi and other states. Ranka also alleged that volunteers assisting protesters with logistics had been detained in Delhi.
🚨STATEMENT
We are deeply concerned by multiple reports reaching us of students and other protestors being targeted, detained, or arrested by various state agencies, particularly in Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar.
The Cockroach Janta Party had called off its nationwide protest…
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) July 27, 2026
He demanded the immediate withdrawal of all FIRs against protesters, the release of detained students, and an assurance that no future FIRs would be filed by the Delhi Police, central investigative agencies or police forces in BJP-allied states, in line with what was agreed upon during the CJP’s negotiation with the Centre.
He also sought from the government the written agreement around legal cases be shared with the CJP by Tuesday, the timeline the government and the CJP agreed on as pre-condition to end the agitation.
Warning that any departure from the government’s assurances would undermine the trust placed in the dialogue process by thousands of young people, the CJP said it would be compelled to consider further action if those detained are not released and the FIRs are not withdrawn.
“We demand that all the FIRs against the protestors be immediately withdrawn, students be released and no future FIRs be filed (in line with our agreement) by Delhi police / Central investigative agencies / Police in BJP-allied states, FAILING WHICH WE WILL BE FORCED TO SIT ON PROTEST AGAIN,” he said.
CJP spokesperson Saurav Das said the organisation has been providing legal and medical assistance to protesters across the country since the movement began and would continue supporting those facing legal consequences.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
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Kapil Sibal has always been very liberal with his money. Apparently, he had donated Rs 10 crore to the Samajwadi Party fund.
Fortuitously, a few weeks later, his name appeared as the SP backed Independent candidate for Rajya Sabha seat from Uttar Pradesh.
His whole life is filled with such instances of serendipity – one cannot but be envious of him.
Isn’t the saurav das the same guy who lives in a posh locality ? Do the poor students backing him know how does he earn so much money to live in a locality like that ?