Four Youth Congress Workers Sent to Police Custody Over Protest at AI Summit

New Delhi, February 23, 2026: A Delhi court has remanded four Youth Congress workers to five days of police custody for allegedly staging a dramatic protest at the AI Impact Summit in the national capital. The demonstrators had reportedly removed their shirts during the event to protest the proposed India–US trade agreement.

The order was passed by a judicial magistrate at the Patiala House Court, who allowed police custody for further interrogation.

Accused Sent to Custody

The four individuals remanded to custody are:

• Krishna Hari, National Secretary, Bihar Youth Congress
• Kundan Yadav, State Secretary, Bihar Youth Congress
• Ajay Kumar, President, Uttar Pradesh Youth Congress
• Narasimha Yadav, Youth Congress leader from Telangana

All are affiliated with the Indian Youth Congress (IYC).

Police Arguments

Seeking custody, Delhi Police argued that the accused raised “anti-national slogans” at the venue and wore T-shirts carrying objectionable images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Police described the act as a “serious offence,” claiming that attempts were made to obstruct law enforcement personnel during the protest, resulting in injuries to three individuals.

Investigators told the court that custodial interrogation was necessary to recover the accused’s mobile phones and to probe the alleged “conspiracy” behind the protest. Police also stated that they intend to examine the source of funding and identify where the printed T-shirts were manufactured.

Defense Counters Police Claims

Counsel appearing for the Youth Congress workers opposed the custody request, arguing that the accused were exercising their democratic right to peaceful protest. The defense maintained that the demonstration was conducted peacefully and that the arrests undermine democratic values.

The court, however, granted five days of police custody to facilitate further investigation.

The incident has reignited debate over the limits of political protest at high-profile public events and the balance between law enforcement and democratic dissent.