The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the responses of the Central government and the Uttar Pradesh government to a plea challenging the preventive detention of journalist Satyam Verma in connection with the 2026 Noida workers protest violence [Shakambhari vs. State of Uttar Pradesh].
However, a Bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan refused to grant any interim relief today.
"As of now, we cannot grant relief. We will issue notice," said the Court.
Representing the Uttar Pradesh government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) KM Nataraj accepted notice.
During the hearing today, Nataraj informed the Court that a habeas corpus petition has also been filed before the Allahabad High Court concerning Verma's detention.
The petition before the Supreme Court, filed by Verma's wife, has challenged the validity of Verma's preventive detention under the National Security Act (NSA).
The plea has also arrayed the Central government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as respondents, apart from various Uttar Pradesh authorities. The Court today issued notice to all respondents except the CBI.
The matter is tied to protests by factory workers in parts of Noida over demands for higher wages. The protests turned violent on April 13 and some protesters were accused of vandalising property, pelting stones and setting a vehicle on fire.
Days later, Verma, who is the editor of Mazdoor Bigul Dasta magazine, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on allegations that he incited the violence.
According to reports, he was initially picked up from a publisher's office in Lucknow before the protests, and told to accompany the police to the Hasanganj police station. Over there, he was allegedly told to delete an article he had written about some workers. He was told that it may stir disturbance. He is said to have agreed to take down the piece although he maintained that it was merely about workers' rights.
Verma was among those who were detained by the authorities later, after the protests culminated in violence. The police claimed that he had received money from foreign accounts to incite the violence.
His detention has now been challenged before the Supreme Court by his wife.
The top court is expected to hear the matter next in July. The plea has been filed through advocate Paras Nath.
The Court today also heard a plea by the brother of an engineer who was also arrested in the connection with the Noida protest violence case. The petitioner Keshaw Anand alleged that his brother Aditya Anand was subjected to custodial violence by the Uttar Pradesh Police.
Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves today urged the Court to keep him and other accused in judicial custody to prevent such police torture.
After interacting with Aditya Anand and another person similarly arrested, one Rupesh Roy, the Court ordered that they remain in judicial custody for now.
"We have heard senior counsel for the parties. Pending further consideration of the matter, we direct the judicial custody of the two persons, Aditya Anand and Rupesh Roy, to continue," the Court said.