A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking an investigation into the activities of a digital platform called the “Cockroach Janta Party” and the alleged commercial misuse and viral circulation of oral observations made during court proceedings.

The plea, filed on Sunday by Supreme Court advocate Raja Choudhary through advocate Rajesh Singh Chouhan, names the Union Government, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Bar Council of India, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as respondents.

The petition clarifies that it does not seek to curb fair criticism, satire, dissent, or constitutionally protected free speech. Instead, it raises concerns over the organised clipping, monetisation, and online dissemination of courtroom exchanges, which, according to the petitioner, distort the context and seriousness of judicial proceedings.

It argues that oral exchanges between judges and lawyers are increasingly being converted into short viral clips, memes, and social media content driven by outrage and online engagement.

According to the plea, selective portions of court proceedings are being extracted, edited, and circulated online without the constitutional or procedural context in which they were made, leading to trolling, meme culture, and emotional mobilisation on digital platforms.

The petition refers to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant’s reported “cockroach” remark made during the hearing of a writ petition on May 15 concerning fake law degree holders. The observation triggered widespread reactions online and led to the emergence of a viral platform called the “Cockroach Janta Party.”

The following day, the Chief Justice issued a clarification stating that his remarks had been misquoted by sections of the media and emphasised that he held deep concern and respect for the youth of the country.

The plea further contends that vernacular and culturally direct expressions, often associated with rural or non-metropolitan modes of speech, are disproportionately ridiculed within elite digital spaces.

It argues that metaphorical expressions such as “cockroach” reflected institutional frustration over declining standards within the legal profession rather than literal insult. The petitioner has also sought a CBI investigation into the alleged proliferation of fake law degrees across the country.

The petition notes that the use of symbolic references involving animals or insects has historically formed part of literature, jurisprudence, and political discourse to express institutional anxiety or social critique.

Referring to Franz Kafka’s The Metamorphosis, the petitioner stated that imagery involving vermin has long been used metaphorically to depict alienation, bureaucratic absurdity, and institutional breakdown.

The plea also points out that Indian constitutional and judicial discourse has frequently employed metaphors such as “jungle raj,” “watchdog,” and “guinea pig” to describe governance issues and institutional concerns.

The petitioner has argued that beyond institutional reputation, the matter concerns the protection of constitutional governance in an era increasingly shaped by viral algorithm-driven media narratives.