Rights group questions NIA action against labour organisers, demands quashing of FIR

By A Representative 

The civil rights coalition, Campaign Against State Repression (CASR),  has issued a strong statement condemning the reported targeting of labour rights activist Shiv Kumar by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), alleging that the move forms part of a wider pattern of repression linked to what it described as the “Lucknow Conspiracy Case.”

In its statement, CASR said Shiv Kumar had recently been served a notice by the NIA in connection with FIR No. RC-01/2023/NIA/Lucknow, which it claims has been used to investigate and implicate a range of individuals including students, advocates, human rights defenders and labour organisers across northern states. The organisation alleged that the inclusion of Kumar reflects an expanding crackdown aimed at curbing dissent and weakening labour movements, particularly in industrial regions around Delhi-NCR.

The statement also referred to earlier arrests in the same case, including that of Priyanshu Kashyap, a former Delhi University student associated with the Delhi General Mazdoor Front, who was arrested in Hisar in July 2025. CASR further named Advocate Ajay Singhal and Vishal Singh as among those targeted, alleging that these actions form part of a broader effort to suppress activism among workers, peasants, Adivasis and Dalits through conspiracy-related charges.

According to CASR, Shiv Kumar has been active for over a decade with the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan in the Kundli industrial area of Haryana. The organisation claimed that labour organisers in the region are increasingly facing surveillance, harassment and allegations of extremist links, which it said are being used to delegitimise workers’ protests.

The statement further alleged a history of custodial violence against Kumar. It cited an earlier incident during the farmers’ protests when he was allegedly detained and tortured by Haryana Police, a matter currently before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. CASR also referred to a March 2025 incident in which Kumar was allegedly detained by the Delhi Police Special Cell and subjected to torture, with affidavits in proceedings before the Delhi High Court reportedly mentioning the involvement of central intelligence agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and the NIA. These allegations could not be independently verified.

CASR alleged that despite the seriousness of these claims, no action has been taken against officials involved, and that Kumar was pressured during custody to testify against other accused persons. It said the issuance of a fresh notice by the NIA represents an escalation rather than accountability.

Describing the case as part of a broader assault on democratic rights, CASR argued that the use of stringent laws and central investigative agencies against activists undermines constitutional freedoms and creates a climate of fear, particularly among marginalised communities and grassroots movements.

The organisation demanded withdrawal of the notice issued to Shiv Kumar unless supported by credible and publicly verifiable evidence, quashing of the FIR in the Lucknow case, release of those arrested in connection with it, and accountability for alleged custodial torture. It also called for safeguards against coercion of witnesses and an end to what it termed the criminalisation of labour movements and dissent.