A Delhi Court came down heavily on four members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) over their “shirtless protest” inside Bharat Mandapam during the AI Impact Summit 2026, saying that their conduct was
not legitimate dissent, rather a “blatant assault on public order” that imperilled India’s diplomatic image.
Judicial Magistrate Ravi made the observation when the four IYC workers were produced before his court. The court sent the four accused to five days of police custody.
While allowing the Delhi Police’s plea for custodial interrogation, the magistrate said that the alleged actions of the accused “imperil not merely the event’s sanctity but also the Republic’s diplomatic image before foreign stakeholders, rendering it wholly unprotected by constitutional safeguards.”
According to the court order, as accessed exclusively by CNN-News18, the IYC members orchestrated a premeditated intrusion into the high-security precincts of Bharat Mandapam during the AI Summit 2026.
“…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.
While seeking custody of the arrested activists, the Police told the court that the accused donned provocative T-shirts bearing slogans such as “India US Trade Deal Compromised”, raised slogans, obstructed public servants, and allegedly assaulted police personnel, causing injuries substantiated by medico-legal reports.
They further said that protests were inspired by Nepal’s violent Gen Z movement that toppled the government there.
“This is a larger conspiracy that has taken inspiration from the Gen Z protests in Nepal. The accused need to be confronted with each other as well as with digital evidence. This is a very important investigation,” police said.
The court said custodial interrogation was essential to unearth a larger conspiracy, funding sources, digital evidence and possible absconding associates. It noted that the accused hailed from remote regions, raising concerns about flight risk.
The magistrate said the alleged offences warrant “stringent scrutiny” as they posed a grave threat to public order and state security at an international forum.
What Happened In AI Summit?
India hosted the world’s largest artificial intelligence conclave, the AI Impact Summit-2026. The summit that began on February 16 has seen packed halls and long queues, as tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, founders, and technologists thronged the Bharat Mandapam.
Around 10 activists of the Congress’s youth wing had entered the AI Summit venue in New Delhi and staged a shirtless protest, raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US trade deal. The protesters wore or carried white T-shirts printed with images of PM Modi and US President Donald Trump along with slogans targeting the government.
Security personnel quickly intervened and the protesters were later arrested for disrupting the high-profile summit, which was attended by global technology leaders including Sam Altman and Sundar Pichai.
The protest sparked a political row, with BJP leaders condemning it as “anti-national” and accusing the Congress of harming India’s global image, while the Congress defended the demonstration as legitimate democratic dissent reflecting youth anger.
