Court Grants Custody in AI Summit Protest Case: Youth Congress Members Face Fresh Investigations

Patiala House Court granted further custody for five Youth Congress workers tied to the AI Summit protest. Accusations involve organizing shirtless protests and using provocative merchandise. Defense attorneys argue excessive police actions, while officials stress investigation requires custody to gather crucial evidence and explore roles in the demonstration.

On Thursday, Patiala House Court sanctioned an additional three-day custody for five Indian Youth Congress members embroiled in the AI Summit protest, a case that has stirred political tensions. The decision comes as Delhi Police sought the extension to delve deeper into the protest, infamous for its shirtless demonstrations.

The court extended custody for Raja Gujar and Ajay Kumar Vimal, following the expiry of their initial three-day police remand. Authorities also secured a fresh five-day custody for three other members: Saurabh, Arbaz, and Siddharth. These individuals were apprehended from Himachal Pradesh under a transit remand.

During proceedings, Delhi Police alleged that Siddharth was responsible for designing T-shirts with the slogan "PM is compromised," while Saurabh coordinated protestors via a WhatsApp group. Arbaz was allegedly present at the protest venue. Legal counsel for the accused refuted the need for further custody, asserting no additional evidence or recovery was anticipated.

(With inputs from agencies.)