‘This is dictatorship’: Inside Delhi court face-off over Youth Congress ‘shirtless conspiracy’

Today, the Delhi Police produced Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu Chib and seven others in the Patiala House Court amid tight security in connection with their shirtless protest during the recent AI Impact Summit.

Youth Congress workers raised slogans against the Delhi Police inside and outside the court premises. Speaking to Newslaundry, Maharashtra Youth Congress State President Suraj Maurya said, “The government wants to intimidate youth across the country so that they do not protest against the government. This is a dictatorship.”

A case has been filed against the ‘main conspirator and mastermind of the incident’, Uday Bhanu, under 10 sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, including Section 61(2), which deals with ‘criminal conspiracy’.

During today's hearing, the Delhi Police sought seven days' custody for Uday Bhanu. However, following opposition from his lawyer, Rupesh Singh Bhadoria, the court granted four days of police custody. The other seven arrested have also been remanded to four days of police custody.

Speaking to Newslaundry, Bhadoria said, “All the charges imposed by the police carry a punishment of less than seven years. According to the law, Uday should not have been sent to police custody. The police are making a mockery of the law.”

Addressing a press conference today, Special CP Devesh Chandra Srivastava alleged that during the India AI Impact Summit on February 20, a "premeditated attempt" was made to breach the security cordon at Bharat Mandapam, resulting in injuries to on-duty police personnel. He claimed that their investigation has since revealed the incident was part of a conspiracy, leading to the addition of Sections 191(1) and 192 of the BNS. These sections are related to rioting and provocation. 

“Further investigation into this case has been transferred to the Interstate Cell of Crime Branch. A detailed investigation is being done,” he added.

Watch.

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