Workers’ protest: Day after invoking NSA, police say ₹1 cr transactions found in banks accounts of one accused

Reacting to the allegations, Advocate Chaudhary Ali Zia Kabir, representing Verma told HT, “Verma is a professional freelance translator for companies like Google and Meta.”

Noida: A day after invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against two suspects for being allegedly involved in instigating Noida workers’ protest, police on Thursday said that their investigation found one of the suspects received ₹1 crore in dollars, pounds, and euros in his personal bank account.

During the investigation it came to fore that Satyam Verma received over ₹1 crore, along with credits in foreign currencies including dollars, pounds, and euros from various countries into his personal bank account. These funds were reportedly transferred by Verma to other personal accounts at different times, police said in a statement (HT Archive)

Meanwhile, none of the accused received relief on Thursday, and the bail hearing was scheduled for May 18.

In a statement, the Noida police said that among the accused, Satyam Verma, 60, and Akriti, 25, were found to have play significant roles in the unrest, including arson and creating public disorder during the protests. “Due to their involvement in activities disrupting law and order, action under the NSA has been initiated against both accused.”

“During the investigation it came to fore that Satyam Verma received over ₹1 crore, along with credits in foreign currencies including dollars, pounds, and euros from various countries into his personal bank account. These funds were reportedly transferred by Verma to other personal accounts at different times,” the statement added.

Police said Verma is associated with multiple organisations, which are now under detailed scrutiny. And, further investigation, analysis, and examination of his financial transactions are underway.

Reacting to the allegations, Advocate Chaudhary Ali Zia Kabir, representing Verma told HT, “Verma is a professional freelance translator for companies like Google and Meta. His bank accounts reflect legitimate payments for his work, which he uses to support himself and his family. At no point has his income approached ₹1 crore in a month, and he has consistently filed income tax returns for all earnings.”

Police on Wednesday invoked the NSA against Verma and Akriti, stating that “action had been taken against two accused in connection with the violent protest”.

Over the NSA, Verma’s lawyer said, “They are invoking the NSA only to keep them in jail for six to seven months. They do not have a single piece of evidence against them.”

Meanwhile, on Thursday, additional district judge (name????) heard the bail hearing for Akriti in two cases registered at Phase 3 police station. “As the prosecution demanded time to produce more documents, the court listed the matter for May 18,” Akriti’s lawyer Rajnish Yadav, told HT.

In another case related to the protest, registered at Sector 63 police station against 20 people, the court on Thursday asked the police to produce call detail records (CDRs) and locations of all 20 accused, he added.

The factory workers’ protest began on April 10 in the Phase 2 area after the Haryana government increased the salaries of unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers by 35 per cent. For three days, from April 10 to 12, the protest remained low-key, but on April 13, it suddenly turned violent. More than 100 factories were vandalised, and vehicles were torched across the district during the violence.

Following the protest, police registered multiple FIRs at Phase 2, Sector 63, and other police stations in the district. Seven people, including three women, were mainly arrested for their alleged involvement in systematically inciting the April 13 violence.