Patiala House Court has approved a four-day police custody extension for five Youth Congress activists central to the disruptive shirtless demonstration at India’s AI Impact Summit. The ruling facilitates critical investigative steps in the unfolding case.
Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Ajay Kumar, Narsimha Yadav, and Jitendra Yadav, rounded up from Delhi and Gwalior, are due back on March 1. Delhi Police pressed for time to orchestrate key confrontations.
Breakthroughs from first remand include Uday Bhanu Chib’s arrest and transit for a planner. Himachal-detained Siddharth, the T-shirt specialist, heads to Delhi. Notably, Ramesh Agarwal disclosed during bail proceedings printing lakh-plus shirts for Indian Youth Congress.
Though defense resisted, citing adequacy of prior custody, the court prioritized evidence gathering.
The Bharat Mandapam event turned contentious with protesters’ topless stunt criticizing policies, earning cross-party flak. Congress chief Kharge decried arrests: ‘Our youth’s deliberate, nation-serving protests aren’t grave offenses.’ BJP hit back hard, branding it unbecoming.
Amid finger-pointing, the custody hike signals intensified scrutiny on political protests’ boundaries.