Delhi Courts Grant Bail to AI Summit Protesters

A series of court rulings in New Delhi has seen the majority of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) workers released on bail after their arrest for a "shirtless" protest at the India AI Impact Summit on February 20. During the event at Bharat Mandapam, protesters wore T-shirts featuring Narendra Modi and slogans opposing a proposed trade agreement with the United States. The Delhi Police alleged the group used anti-national slogans to tarnish India's image, while Prime Minister Modi claimed the actions "broke all norms."

Judicial Magistrate Ravi of the Patiala House Court initially granted bail to nine workers, describing the event as a "symbolic political critique." The Delhi High Court later intervened to secure the release of IYC president Uday Bhanu Chib; Justice Saurabh Banerjee vacated a lower court's stay on Chib's bail, questioning the lack of judicial reasoning for keeping him in custody. By March 5, the court also granted bail to Siddharth Avdhoot, a shirt designer accused of organizing the protest apparel and conducting venue reconnaissance.

Legal proceedings remained contested for a smaller group of detainees. Duty Magistrate Charan Salwan initially rejected bail for workers Divyansh Girdhar and Bhudev Sharma, arguing that the nature and location of the protest required a balance between constitutional rights and state security. By March 9, Chief Judicial Magistrate Mridul Gupta reserved the order regarding the final three detainees—Girdhar, Sharma, and Kuber Meena—following arguments from the Delhi Police and defense counsel.