LUCKNOW: The Allahabad High Court asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file its reply on a petition concerning journalist Satyam Verma, who was arrested last month on allegations of instigating workers to carry out violence during the Noida labour protests.
A division bench, comprising Justice Salil Kumar Rai and Justice Devendra Singh, after hearing Senior Advocate SFA Naqvi, along with Advocates Shashwat Anand and Ankur Azad, appearing for Verma, on the illegality of his arrest and continued custody, issued notice to the State authorities and granted time to file a Counter Affidavit on the habeas corpus writ petition.
Verma was separately booked under the National Security Act (NSA) on May 13.
The petition filed on behalf of Verma by his wife challenges his arrest, detention and remand. The petition alleges serious procedural irregularities in the arrest and custodial transfer process and has accordingly sought his release along with preservation of electronic and documentary evidence relating to the detention.
Verma was arrested in Lucknow on April 17.
It was alleged that Verma had an important role to play in the violence, arson and spread of disorder during the workers’ protest, as he attempted to disrupt public order by provoking people in various areas.
It may be recalled that the workers of the textile sector were protesting for a hike in their wages and improved working conditions across Noida since April 10.
On April 13, the protestors turned violent, indulging in vandalism and arson. They set vehicles afire, resorted to trespassing and stone pelting at a few places, following which police resorted to lathi-charge and detained hundreds of workers and seven activists involved in the protest.
The Court further directed that the petitioner would be at liberty to file a Rejoinder Affidavit thereafter and posted the matter for the next hearing on July 13.
Earlier, on May 20, a division bench of Justice Siddharth and Justice Vinai Kumar Kumar Dwivedi recused from hearing the present Habeas Corpus plea.