A group of lawyers has filed a formal complaint with Uttar Pradesh police authorities alleging torture, fabricated recoveries and procedural violations against five accused in the Noida violence conspiracy case, including Lucknow-based journalist Satyam Verma, according to The Hindustan Gazette.

Verma, a Lucknow-based journalist and former editor at UNI’s Hindi service UNIVARTA, was arrested on April 17 from the Janchetna bookstore in Lucknow in connection with the case. He has translated several books, including Bhagat Singh Ke Saathiyon Ke Sampoorna Uplabdh Dastaavez, and is associated with several progressive groups. He is also the son of historian Lal Bahadur Verma.

Following Verma’s arrest and that of one Himanshu Thakur, who was living in Delhi, the Gautam Buddha Nagar Police claimed both were active members of Mazdoor Bigul Dasta, a workers’ union, and had helped instigate and coordinate violence during the labour agitation in Noida.

Police had registered an FIR at Phase 2 police station after the protest escalated into clashes.

Verma’s arrest had drawn criticism from activists, who accused the Uttar Pradesh Police of conducting a “witch hunt” against intellectuals and labour-rights supporters.

Now, activists, poets and journalists have come together under the banner of the ‘Satyam Verma Rihai Manch’ and will hold a press conference at the Press Club of India in Delhi on Tuesday at 11.30 am. The event is expected to be addressed by several public intellectuals and activists, including historian Irfan Habib.

In a video message posted on the forum’s YouTube channel, senior journalist Priyadarshan said Satyam Verma and those arrested with him “are not conspirators. They are not those arguing for violence with the tools of violence.”

Among those who condemned the arrest on the channel was Rajasthan Patrika journalist Swatantra Mishra. Talking about Verma’s journalistic career and translations, Mishra said “we are indebted to him” and the arrest and the manner in which it was carried out was “shameless”.

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