Delhi Court Grants Police Custody to IYC President Over Controversial Protest

Court Decision on IYC President's Custody

New Delhi: A Delhi court has ordered the police to hold Uday Bhanu Chib, the National President of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC), in custody for four days following his arrest linked to a shirtless protest that occurred during the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.

Chib was brought before the Patiala House Court after being detained by Delhi Police earlier in the day.

The police requested a seven-day period for custodial interrogation, claiming that Chib was the primary instigator and mastermind behind the protest.

In response, the defense opposed the extended custody, while the prosecution argued that further interrogation was crucial to reveal a broader conspiracy.

After considering both arguments, the court granted four days of police custody for continued investigation.

Chib faces allegations of orchestrating an unlawful assembly on February 20 at Bharat Mandapam during the AI Summit and Expo 2026, where it is claimed anti-national slogans were shouted, and there were attempts to provoke a riot.

Additionally, police accused Chib and several co-defendants, including Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Narasimha Yadav, and Ajay Kumar Yadav, of obstructing and assaulting law enforcement officers.

The arrest memo indicated that Chib allegedly did not cooperate during questioning and failed to provide information about the absconding co-accused and the source of the T-shirts used in the protest.

His arrest followed nearly 15 hours of interrogation at the Tilak Marg police station regarding the shirtless demonstration that took place on the last day of the India AI Impact Summit.

The protest has sparked a political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party condemning it as an effort to damage India's international reputation, while the Congress party defended it as a peaceful expression of youth concerns.