A Delhi court granted five days’ police custody to four IYC workers arrested for protesting inside Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit 2026. The court ruled that their actions were not protected dissent but a serious threat to public order and India’s diplomatic image.
A Delhi court has strongly criticised the conduct of four Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers who were arrested for staging a “shirtless” protest at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. The court said their actions went beyond peaceful protest and seriously affected public order as well as India’s image before foreign delegates.
The four accused were produced before Judicial Magistrate Ravi on Saturday. The court granted five days of police custody to allow detailed questioning by the Delhi Police. While allowing the remand, the magistrate made sharp observations about the nature of the protest and the seriousness of the allegations.
In its order, the court noted that the accused came from remote areas of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana, and there was a strong possibility that they might abscond if released. The court also pointed to early findings in the investigation suggesting the possibility of wider involvement. The order stated that this risk was
“further heightened by early investigation findings suggesting external conspiracy links”.
A portion of the detailed order observed that the protest did not just disturb the event but also damaged India’s reputation internationally. The court recorded that the protest imperilled or jeopardised not only the event’s sanctity, but also the country’s diplomatic image.
Referring to the incident, the magistrate said,
“…the accused persons are alleged to have orchestrated a premeditated intrusion into the high-security precincts of Bharat Mandapam during the Al Summit 2026, a premier international conclave hosting global delegates and dignitaries,”
the court’s order said.
The court further described the manner in which the protest was carried out. It noted that the protestors allegedly
“donned provocative T-shirts bearing offensive slogans such as ‘India US Trade Deal Compromised’, vociferously raised incendiary chants, obstructed public servants in the execution of their duties, and perpetrated physical assaults causing grievous injuries to police personnel, as substantiated by the medico-legal cases (MLCs) on record.”
Making a strong constitutional observation, the magistrate said,
“Such conduct palpably transcends the ambit of legitimate dissent, metamorphosing into a blatant assault on public order. It imperils not merely the event’s sanctity but also the Republic’s diplomatic image before foreign stakeholders, rendering it wholly unprotected by constitutional safeguards.”
The court also highlighted that several associates of the accused might still be absconding. It expressed concern that if the accused were not kept in custody, there could be interference with digital evidence, financial records and statements of co-accused persons.
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While dealing with the issue of bail and custody, the magistrate referred to a 1980 Supreme Court judgment and observed,
“Bail discretion must safeguard investigation integrity, particularly pre-chargesheet.”
The court also underlined that the seriousness of the alleged offences required strict scrutiny. It observed that the offences “warranted stringent scrutiny” as they posed a grave threat to public order and state security at an international forum and attracted punishment exceeding three years of imprisonment under BNS Sections 121 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter a public servant from his duty) and 61 (2) (criminal conspiracy).
Concluding the order, the court stated,
“In view of the above, the application, for police custody remand of all four accused persons is allowed for five days with effect from today, i.e., till February 25,”
the magisterial court said.
India is currently hosting the AI Impact Summit-2026, described as the world’s largest artificial intelligence conclave. The event began on February 16 at Bharat Mandapam and has attracted leading global tech experts, policymakers, founders and dignitaries from across the world.
According to police, the four accused — Krishna Hari, national secretary of Youth Congress from Bihar; Kundan Yadav, state secretary of Bihar; Ajay Kumar, state president of Uttar Pradesh; and Narasimha Yadav from Telangana — allegedly entered an exhibition hall inside the venue and staged a “shirtless” protest.
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They were reportedly holding T-shirts with images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, along with slogans criticising the government and the India-US trade deal.
The police have alleged that the protestors also engaged in a scuffle with security personnel and police officers deployed at the high-security venue. Medical reports were cited to support the claim that some police personnel suffered injuries during the incident.
The matter will now proceed further as the investigation continues, with the accused remaining in police custody until February 25.
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