Abhijeet Dipke has said his higher education in the United States was funded through a Boston University scholarship and an education loan, as questions intensified over the finances of the Cockroach Janta Party and its protest funding. He made the claim after an RTI activist sought a probe into his family’s assets and his father’s ability to support his studies abroad.
Speaking to senior journalist Barkha Dutt, the CJP founder said, “My education was funded by a scholarship provided by Boston University. And I had taken some education loan which I have to pay back now,” while also sharing his scholarship document. Reports said the scholarship covered $12,500 per semester for three semesters, or $37,500 in total.
Surat-based RTI activist Amit Tiwari has asked multiple authorities, including the Maharashtra government and the Election Commission of India, to examine the finances of Dipke’s father, Bhagwanrao Dipke, a retired MIDC junior engineer. Tiwari questioned how a government employee earning around Rs 60,000-65,000 a month could have funded his son’s education in the US.
Dipke also defended the CJP’s funding model, saying the group would rely on crowdfunding and remain transparent about contributions. He claimed that much of the support during the anti-NEET paper leak protests came from ordinary citizens who brought food and water, and alleged that some Delhi Police personnel privately offered water bottles in support of the movement.
The controversy has widened further after Kapil Sibal announced a Rs 1 crore legal aid fund for protesters arrested during the agitation, while the RTI activist also questioned the legal status of the CJP. The party has rejected the complaints as politically motivated.