Noida protest: SC orders UP Police to produce accused in court amid custodial torture allegations

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to produce before it two men arrested in a case related to the workers’ protest in Noida in April after a family member alleged custodial torture, Bar and Bench reported.

The men Aditya Anand and Rupesh Roy must be produced before the court at 2 pm on Monday, a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan ordered.

The bench was hearing a plea filed by Anand’s brother. He alleged that Anand had been tortured by the police in custody after he was arrested for allegedly inciting violence during the protests, The Indian Express reported.

Colin Gonsalves, the counsel for Anand’s brother, told the court that the man was an engineer working at a factory and ran a library for children. Anand’s speeches at the protests focussed on workers’ rights and that recordings were available to support this claim, the lawyer was quoted as having contended.

On April 13, about 40,000 to 45,000 workers from several industrial units had gathered in parts of the city to press long-standing demands that their salaries be increased.

The protests came amid increasing gas prices because of the supply disruption caused by the conflict in West Asia.

The protests had turned violent. Videos widely shared on social media showed some protesters throwing stones and vandalising property, as security personnel...

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