A Delhi court on Saturday granted five days of police custody to four workers of the Indian Youth Congress who staged a shirtless protest march inside Bharat Mandapam during an AI summit event. Police told the court the protest was part of a wider conspiracy intended to defame India internationally, drawing parallels with a similar demonstration that had taken place in Nepal.
The four arrested individuals, Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar, and Narasimha Yadav, were produced before the Patiala House Court on Saturday morning following their arrest in connection with the incident.
Indian Youth Congress Protest: Police Claim ‘Deep Conspiracy’
While seeking remand, the prosecution argued that custodial interrogation was necessary to uncover the alleged conspiracy and identify other suspects who had fled the scene. According to the investigating officer, the accused had coordinated their actions despite coming from different locations and had arranged for the printing of T-shirts carrying messages against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Police also informed the court that three police personnel were injured during the incident and that the mobile phones of the accused needed to be recovered to determine whether they had received any funding related to the protest.
The public prosecutor further alleged that the protesters raised anti-national slogans while demonstrating against the India-US trade deal and wore T-shirts displaying anti-government messages.
What Lawyer Representing Indian Youth Congress Protestors Said
Counsel representing the accused opposed the remand request, arguing that the workers were being targeted because of their political affiliation with the opposition. The lawyer maintained that protests occur across the country and asserted that political dissent should not be suppressed in this manner.
Following the disruption, Delhi Police initially detained around 10 members of the youth organisation.
Confirming the incident, ACP (New Delhi) Devesh Mahla said, “the Indian Youth Congress on Friday staged a protest with around 15 people entering the lobby area of Hall No. 5, and raising slogans after removing T-shirts worn under shirts.”
Another police officer stated that the four arrested individuals would be produced before court and that an FIR had been registered invoking several serious charges.
Officials said the accused were involved in a prolonged scuffle with security personnel and police staff deployed at the venue.
Investigation Into Possible Larger Plot
Investigators are examining whether the protest was part of a broader conspiracy. According to sources cited by agencies, the protesters had registered online to obtain QR codes that allowed them entry into the summit venue before staging their demonstration inside Hall No. 5.
Investigators said the accused had initially planned to paste printed stickers on black umbrellas and carry them into the venue. However, they later abandoned the idea.
“They later felt that the black umbrellas might draw the attention of the security personnel manning the gates, so they changed their plan and got the printed stickers placed on T-shirts instead,” reports said.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
