New Delhi: A dramatic protest inside the high-security venue of the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam has led to the fifth arrest in the case, with Delhi Police detaining a Youth Congress worker from Madhya Pradesh, officials said on Monday.
The accused, identified as Jitendra Yadav, was picked up from Gwalior, taking the total number of arrests so far to five. The action comes days after members of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) staged a shirtless demonstration during the summit held at Bharat Mandapam, one of the capital’s premier international convention centres.
The protest unfolded on February 20 when a group of IYC workers entered the exhibition area and suddenly removed their outer shirts, revealing T-shirts printed with slogans critical of the Centre and the proposed India–U.S. trade deal. The slogans, which included sharp remarks targeting the Prime Minister and references to international issues, were displayed briefly before security personnel intervened and escorted the protesters out of the venue.
According to investigators, four individuals were detained on the day of the incident, while further inquiry led to Yadav’s arrest. Police sources indicated that the group had allegedly registered online to secure entry passes and QR codes for access to the summit premises. Initial plans reportedly involved carrying protest material concealed on black umbrellas, but the idea was dropped over fears it would attract security scrutiny. The group instead opted to print the messages on T-shirts worn underneath formal attire.
Officials said the matter is being examined not merely as a case of unlawful protest inside a secured event, but also from the angle of a possible larger conspiracy. Investigators are scrutinising the financial trail behind the demonstration, including the funding for printing the slogan-bearing T-shirts and organising the coordinated entry into the venue.
There are also allegations that some on-duty personnel were jostled during the commotion, a claim that forms part of the ongoing probe.
The incident quickly snowballed into a political confrontation. The BJP criticised the protest as an attempt to embarrass the country during an international summit, while the Youth Congress maintained that the demonstration was peaceful and intended to raise concerns over national interests.
As the investigation progresses, more names are said to have surfaced during questioning. Delhi Police have also examined senior Youth Congress functionaries in connection with the case, indicating that the probe is likely to widen in the coming days.
