The Allahabad High Court has sought a formal response from the Uttar Pradesh government regarding a habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of former journalist Satyam Verma, who was detained in connection with the April 13 Noida workers’ protest.A bench comprising Justices Salil Kumar Rai and Devendra Singh-I issued notice to the state authorities and scheduled the next hearing for July 13.

The petition, filed by Verma’s wife, alleges procedural irregularities in his detention and subsequent custodial transfer, and also seeks his immediate release along with preservation of all electronic and documentary evidence related to the case.

Satyam Verma, a 60-year-old former journalist from Lucknow, was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) on May 13 along with another member of a workers’ organisation, Aakriti Chaudhary.The NSA permits preventive detention for up to one year without trial.

According to police allegations, Verma played a significant role in instigating violence, arson, and public disorder during the large-scale workers’ protest, which involved around 40,000 to 45,000 industrial workers demanding higher wages.

Authorities further claimed that he provoked unrest, received foreign funding to incite violence, and promoted “leftist” literature and ideology to influence youth participation in activist movements.The detention order also cited recovery of books and materials linked to Maoist ideology from his office.

However, the petitioner argues that Verma was not physically present at the protest site and was being targeted due to his editorial association with a workers’ newspaper and political affiliations.Earlier, the Supreme Court had also issued notice on a related plea challenging his detention.

The case arises from a broader backdrop of violence during the protest, where clashes between workers and police led to arrests of over 350 individuals and allegations of excessive force by security personnel.Videos of alleged police misconduct circulated widely, though authorities disputed their authenticity.The High Court’s intervention now places focus on the legality of preventive detention and the procedural safeguards under the NSA.