New Delhi: A Delhi court has refused bail to four Youth Congress members arrested for staging a shirtless protest during the AI Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, observing that the right to dissent cannot be exercised in a manner that disrupts public order, particularly at an international event attended by foreign delegates.
The order was passed by the Patiala House Court while remanding Krishan Hari, Kundan, Ajay Kumar Singh and Narsimha to five days of police custody. The court noted that although the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, these rights are subject to reasonable restrictions in the interest of sovereignty, public order and decency.
According to the prosecution, the accused allegedly gathered at the high security venue on February 20 wearing T shirts bearing slogans critical of the India US trade deal. They are accused of raising provocative slogans, creating disorder and assaulting police personnel, resulting in injuries to three officers. An FIR was registered at Tilak Marg police station under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
In its order, the court observed that the alleged actions went beyond legitimate dissent and amounted to a deliberate intrusion into a secure international forum. It referred to established legal principles that public protests must balance the rights of demonstrators with the rights of others and cannot cause grave inconvenience or occupy public spaces indefinitely.
The court also considered the stage of investigation, stating that custodial interrogation was necessary to identify other alleged participants who fled, examine digital evidence and trace the source of printed material and funding. It held that these steps could not be effectively completed if the accused were released at this juncture.
While reiterating that bail is generally the norm, the court said the seriousness of the allegations and the need for further investigation justified police custody until February 25.
