Shirtless protest at India AI Summit
NEW DELHI, Feb 24: A Delhi court on Tuesday sent Indian Youth Congress (IYC) president Uday Bhanu Chib to four days of police custody in connection with the shirtless protest at the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam on February 20.
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Judicial Magistrate Ravi allowed four days of custody to the police to question Chib, after the investigating officer (IO) sought seven days of custodial interrogation.
“The application of the IO is partly allowed. The accused is remanded to police custody for four days commencing from today till February 28 (inclusive). On expiry of the said period, the IO shall produce the accused before the concerned court or the concerned duty magistrate, along with a detailed remand report,” the court said.
It underlined that during the custody, the IO had to abide by all constitutional and statutory safeguards, including those relating to medical examination, maintenance of the case diary and production of the accused before the court within the stipulated time.
The court also “expressly” recorded Chib’s right to meet his counsel during interrogation according to Section 38 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), but clarified that such a meeting could not hamper the legitimate needs of investigation.
The provision says, “When any person is arrested and interrogated by the police, he shall be entitled to meet an advocate of his choice during interrogation, though not throughout interrogation.”
The magistrate said that the advocate’s presence would be permitted at such intervals as reasonably fixed by the IO, but not throughout the interrogation and not in a manner that directly interfered with questioning.
Besides, the presence and permission had to remain consistent with the statutory scheme and judicial pronouncements, he said.
“Nothing stated in this order shall be construed as an expression on the merits of the case or as a final determination of the applicability of any specific penal provision, including Section 197(1)(d) BNS (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) which shall be considered at the appropriate stage on the basis of evidence collected,” the court said.
According to the BNS provision, “Whoever, by words either spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic communication or otherwise, makes or publishes false or misleading information jeopardising the sovereignty, unity and integrity or security of India, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.”
The arrest memo alleged that Chib was the “main conspirator and mastermind of the incident of unlawful assembly” during the summit, where “anti-national slogans were raised” by the co-accused, who also tried to “incite a riot-like situation”.
“You (Chib), in conspiracy with Shree Krishna Hari, Kundan Yadav, Narsimha Yadav, Ajay Kumar Yadav, etc., obstructed and assaulted the police officials on their duty. Further, during interrogation, you have not cooperated and also not disclosed the name of the co-accused persons who have fled from the spot.”
“Nor have you disclosed the source of printing of T-shirts which other co-accused conspirators have used during the protest. The investigation of the case is yet pending, and for the proper investigation of the case, you are being arrested in the case,” said the memo.
Meanwhile, in Jammu, mother of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief Udey Bhanu Chib on Tuesday condemned his arrest, terming it unjustified and politically motivated, while the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) asserted that no action would deter its workers from continuing their fight against “wrong policies” of the BJP Government.
Rajni Bala, mother of Chib, said the action against her son reflected the Government’s “authoritarian” and “high-handed” approach, asserting that peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right.
Defending the protest, Bala said there was “nothing shameful” about the symbolic act and argued that poverty and joblessness were the real concerns confronting the country.
“Everyone knows this is a dictatorial Government where anyone who protests is arrested. Protesting is not a crime. Raising people’s issues and fighting for the country’s youth, who are roaming unemployed, is not a crime.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) extended support to Udey Bhanu Chib.
‘JKPCC stands in solidarity with the young leadership of IYC chief Udey Bhanu Chib, a son of Jammu and Kashmir, for raising the voice of the country’s youth through peaceful protest. Nothing will deter our cadres from fighting against wrong policies of the Modi Government through democratic modes,’ JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said in a post on X. (PTI)
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