The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that Aditya Anand and Rupesh Roy, two men arrested in connection with last month’s violent workers’ protest in Noida, will remain in judicial custody. The decision comes after the accused alleged they were subjected to severe ill-treatment and torture while in police custody.
A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan ruled that the duo’s judicial custody will continue pending further consideration of the matter. While emphasizing that the law must take its course, the bench clarified that the ongoing proceedings before the Supreme Court will not prevent either the accused or the investigators from seeking alternative legal remedies in accordance with the law.
Allegations of Custodial Torture and Blocked Counsel
The bench ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to produce the two accused in court on Tuesday, following a May 15 plea filed by Aditya’s brother, Keshav. During the scheduled appearance, Justices Nagarathna and Bhuyan interacted directly with Anand and Roy, both of whom corroborated the allegations of police ill-treatment.
Representing the petitioner, Senior Advocate Colin Gonsalves presented grave allegations against the local police, claiming they tortured the accused in an attempt to coerce “fake recoveries.” Gonsalves also asserted that defense lawyers attempting to meet with the detained men were forcefully turned away. Consequently, the defense urged the court to keep the men in judicial custody for their safety and requested a formal inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged abuse.
In response, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) K M Nataraj, representing the state of Uttar Pradesh, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating that even those accused of crimes must be treated with dignity.
After assessing the physical appearance of the two men, the Supreme Court expressed satisfaction and ruled to keep them in judicial custody for the time being. However, the bench noted orally that the police retain the right to interrogate the accused while they remain in judicial custody.
No Interim Relief for Satyam Verma
In a related development, the Supreme Court issued formal notices to the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government regarding a separate plea challenging the preventive detention of Satyam Verma. Verma was detained in connection with the same outbreak of violence on April 13.
The court declined to grant Verma any interim relief on Tuesday. The bench was also informed that a habeas corpus petition challenging the legality of Verma’s arrest is currently pending before the Allahabad High Court.
