New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh police have invoked provisions of the National Security Act (NSA), 1980 against two persons – student activist Akriti Choudhary and senior journalist Satyam Verma – in connection with the Noida workers’ protest case. “The only detail we have is the press release by the police media cell. We have not been given any documents on what grounds it [NSA] has been invoked. Ideally, under the law they [police] are supposed to file papers in court and inform the lawyers but none of that has happened”, said Supreme Court lawyer Ali Zia Kabir Choudhary, who is representing seven activists arrested in the case.The press release, which lawyer Ali Zia Kabir Choudhary referred to, has been issued on behalf of the Gautambuddhnagar Police Commissionerate media cell. “Action has been taken against two accused under NSA in connection with violence that erupted during worker’s protest. Both the accused, who were associated with the Mazdoor Bigul Dasta, played a prominent role in violence and arson during the workers’ protest,” states the press release, which names Choudhary and Verma. A statement issued by CaRWAN (Campaign for the Release of Workers and Activists of Noida) raises questions on the timing of NSA charges which have been slapped against Delhi-based activist Choudhary and journalist Verma.The CaRWAN said in its statement issued on May 13:“It must be noted that the bail hearings of Satyam and Akriti took place yesterday in the Surajpur Court. After hearing the arguments, the sessions court judge adjourned the matter. The defense lawyers highlighted the emptiness of the charges and illegality of the arrests, while the public prosecutor failed to produce any substantial evidence that incriminates Satyam or Akriti. It must also be noted that the accused have been in judicial custody for a month or more, and it is only now that the UP Police has invoked the NSA.”As reported by The Wire earlier, a total of seven FIRs have been registered and 300 individuals were arrested by the Noida Police in the workers’ protest case that includes activists, students, a journalist and PhD scholar. “Informing the grounds of arrest is not just the statutory law, it’s something which is part of the Constitutional provision, Article 22 [Protection against arrest and detention]. We have argued that in the case of Satyam as well as others, there is not a single piece of evidence on record that suggests they [persons arrested] called upon for violence. In Satyam’s case he’s not even part of any WhatsApp groups, no such record is in place,” said advocate Ali Zia Kabir Choudhary, while talking about arguments that took place in the sessions court before NSA charges were slapped. In April 2021, an investigation by the Indian Express had revealed how the Allahabad high court had red-flagged 94 out of 120 habeas corpus petitions in which the draconian NSA had been slapped, suggesting misuse of the law by investigation agencies. Similarly in August 2022, Newslaundry had reported that in the proposal sent to the District Magistrate in Kanpur, seeking sanction for slapping of NSA charges against local Muslim people in connection with violence that erupted during protests in the wake of remarks by suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma against the prophet Muhammad, the UP police had resorted to the ‘land jihad’ conspiracy theory in the Hindu-dominated Chandeshwar Hata area. The Delhi Union of Journalists has condemned the move against Verma, the editor of Mazdoor Bigul magazine.“Mr. Verma has been writing consistently about the problems of workers. The decision to invoke NSA against him is yet another example of attack against independent journalists. Since coming to power, the Yogi Adityanath Government has suppressed freedom of press and arrested journalists, including Siddique Kappan, invoking draconian laws. This must stop,” it noted.The DUJ sought to remind the Uttar Pradesh government that journalism is not a crime and “our Constitution supports freedom of expression. We urge the government to withdraw the decision and free Mr. Verma at the earliest.”A protest being held at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on May 14 by CaRWAN (Campaign for the Release of Workers and Activists of Noida) against the slapping of NSA charges on journalist Satyam Verma and activist Akriti Choudhary. Photo: By arrangementIt also condemned the misuse of NSA against activists including Akriti Choudhury.Later, in another press release put out on behalf of the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate media cell on Thursday (May 14) it has been stated that “the accused Satyam Verma had more than Rs 1 crore in his personal bank account, which was credited in dollars, pounds and euros from different countries. The amount received had been, on various occasions, transferred by Satyam Verma to some of his other bank accounts.”“It is worth noting that the accused Satyam Verma has been associated with various organisations and an investigation is underway regarding this. Probe is also underway with respect to transactions from the bank accounts of Satyam Verma”, said the press release by the media cell.Five days before the NSA charges were slapped against journalist Verma, a Habeas Corpus petition had been filed on behalf of his wife, Shakambhari, on May 8 at the Allahabad high court.“The petitioner/detenue is a 60-year-old senior citizen, senior journalist and public intellectual who has been subjected to forced abduction, illegal custodial displacement and unauthorized confinement”, stated the plea, a copy of which was seen by The Wire.The petition also claims that while Verma had been picked up by the UP Police on April 17 from inside the Jan Chetna Bookstore in Lucknow, the Noida Police have “officially showed a fabricated arrest of the Detenue from Police Station Phase-2 Noida”. CCTV footage clips of the bookstore in Lucknow from where Verma was detained were submitted as annexures before the High Court for consideration.According to lawyer Shashwat Anand, who is among three lawyers representing Verma’s wife at the Allahabad high court, “The Habeas Corpus proceedings before the high court question whether constitutional safeguards governing arrest, communication of grounds of arrest, and production before a magistrate were complied with by the police authorities.”Meanwhile, a protest was organised at Jantar Mantar in Delhi by CaRWAN against the slapping of NSA charges on Verma and activist Choudhary.“It is a blatant move by the UP government and police who don’t have a shred of real evidence against the accused, and are resorting to using NSA to ensure the accused don’t get bail for an extended period of time without having to show any evidence or even file a chargesheet”, the CaRWAN said in its statement on Thursday.