Delhi’s Patiala House Court today extended police custody by four days for five Youth Congress members arrested following their bold ‘shirtless protest’ at the prestigious India AI Impact Summit. The move allows investigators to probe conspiracy angles thoroughly.
The accused—Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar, Narsimha Yadav, and Jitendra Yadav—face renewed questioning. Sourced from Delhi and Gwalior, they will return to court on March 1.
Police submitted that initial remand uncovered vital clues, leading to Uday Bhanu Chib’s detention and a conspirator’s transit order. T-shirt printer Siddharth, nabbed in Himachal, awaits transfer for interrogation. Ramesh Agarwal’s anticipatory bail revelation of printing 100,000 shirts under Youth Congress banner added intrigue.
Opposing the extension, defense counsel claimed probe saturation. Court, however, deemed further custody essential for justice.
Held at Bharat Mandapam, the summit protest saw activists remove shirts to voice dissent, igniting bipartisan outrage. BJP allies decried it as hooliganism; Congress distanced partially but leaders like Kharge vouched for the protesters’ intent. ‘Planned in national good, these acts merit understanding, not punishment,’ Kharge remarked.
This saga reflects polarized politics, where youth fervor meets legal scrutiny, potentially reshaping protest norms.