Shirtless protest at AI meet: Youth Cong chief held, rioting charges invoked

Indian Youth Congress President Uday Bhanu Chib was arrested after a disruptive shirtless protest at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi, leading to further investigation into potential conspiracy and funding.

Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib as the 'main conspirator' and 'mastermind' of the shirtless protest at the AI Summit last week, and added charges of rioting against him and other seven IYC workers held earlier.

While the Congress strongly slammed the government, terming the arrest of its workers as 'murder of democracy in India', the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that Rahul Gandhi was the 'mastermind' and asserted that the long arm of the law will soon reach the 'rogue' person who organised the 'anarchic incident' to defame India from behind the scenes.

In the evening, amid slogans of 'death of democracy', IYC workers staged a protest outside its office against the arrest of Chib.

The protesters raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri during the demonstration.

Additional charges added in the case

Earlier, police added sections 191(1) (rioting) and 192 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot- if rioting be committed; if not committed) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in the case.

Addressing a press conference, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime and Police Management & Media Cell) Devesh Chandra Srivastva described the accused as 'aggressive elements' and said that a premeditated attempt was made to breach the security cordon in the presence of dignitaries, delegates and visitors attending the international event.

"On February 20, while the India AI Impact Summit was underway at Bharat Mandapam, a premeditated attempt was made to breach the security cordon in the presence of dignitaries, delegates and visitors attending the international event. The aggressive elements were immediately overpowered. During the process of restraining them, some police personnel deployed on duty sustained injuries," he said.

Later in the day, a Delhi court sent Chib to four days of police custody, even as the investigating officer (IO) sought seven days of custodial interrogation.

Police said that during the course of investigation, many individuals were seen in CCTV footage from the event venue and surrounding areas.

"The involvement of several other persons has also been detected, who were allegedly assisting the aggressive elements in various ways in carrying out the act," Special Commissioner of Police (Crime and Police Management & Media Cell) Devesh Chandra Srivastva told reporters at the press conference.

He said to unearth the entire conspiracy, continuous coordination is being maintained with police authorities of other states and raids are being carried out.

"During investigation, Sections 191(1) and 192 of the BNS have also been added. Based on the investigation so far, it has emerged that the offence was committed as part of a deep-rooted conspiracy, and substantial evidence in this regard has been obtained," he said.

Cong, BJP trade charges 

The Congress strongly condemned the arrest of Chib and other IYC workers, with Gandhi alleging that the action was reflective of 'dictatorial tendencies and cowardice'.

Gandhi said he is proud of his fellow members of the Youth Congress, who have fearlessly raised their voices in national interest against the 'compromised PM'.

"We will make whatever sacrifices are necessary to protect democracy and the Constitution of our country. We will continue to fight and continue our struggle against those who have mortgaged our country," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters in New Delhi.

Hitting back, the BJP alleged that Gandhi was 'mastermind' of anarchic incident at the AI Summit.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, the party's national spokesperson, Gaurav Bhatia, alleged that the Congress youth wing had staged the protest at the summit at the behest of Gandhi.

"Rahul Gandhi is the mastermind, rather a super mastermind, of such an anarchic incident. The naked protest held by Congress youth wing president and others at the behest of Rahul Gandhi tarnished the image of India," he said.

"There is not much difference between Rahul Gandhi and those who are 'lampat, goondey and mawaali (rogue, hooligans, ruffians)'", the BJP leader added.

Srivastva said considering the multi-state ramifications of the case, the underlying financial and logistical networks among the accused, and the need for a comprehensive probe, further investigation has been transferred to the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch.

According to police, additional sections under the BNS, including 196 (promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 197 (assertions prejudicial to national integration), have been invoked in the FIR.

Both carry a jail term of up to three years.