CASR demands withdrawal of NIA notice to labour rights activist

By A Representative 

The Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), a coalition of civil rights, labour and student organisations, has condemned the issuance of a notice by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to labour rights activist Manjeet in connection with the Lucknow Conspiracy Case (FIR No. RC-01/2023/NIA/Lucknow).

According to a press statement issued by CASR on Tuesday, Manjeet is associated with the Mazdoor Adhikar Sangathan (MAS) and works with industrial workers in the Kundli industrial area of Sonipat, Haryana. The organisation alleged that the notice is part of a broader pattern of targeting labour rights activists, student organisers and other democratic voices across northern India.

CASR claimed that the Lucknow Conspiracy Case has been used to investigate and prosecute activists in several states, including Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. The organisation described the case as a "fabricated conspiracy" and alleged that anti-terror laws were being misused to suppress dissent. These allegations have not been independently verified.

The statement also referred to the earlier arrests of Priyanshu Kashyap, advocate Ajay Singhal and documentary filmmaker Vishal Singh in connection with the same case, alleging that these actions reflected a continuing pattern of using anti-terror legislation against activists.

CASR further alleged that Manjeet was illegally detained by the Delhi Police Special Cell during a crackdown in March 2026, during which he was subjected to custodial torture and interrogated by officials of the Intelligence Bureau. The organisation called for an independent investigation into these allegations. There has been no official response from the agencies named in the statement regarding these claims.

The organisation argued that the continued use of the Lucknow Conspiracy Case against labour organisers represents an increasing misuse of investigative agencies and anti-terror laws. It said such actions have affected labour unions, student organisations, human rights defenders and civil society groups working on issues related to workers' rights and social justice.

In its statement, CASR demanded the withdrawal of the NIA notice issued to Manjeet, the quashing of FIR No. RC-01/2023/NIA/Lucknow, the release of activists arrested in connection with the case, and an independent inquiry into the alleged illegal detention and custodial abuse of Manjeet and others detained during the March 2026 crackdown. It also called for accountability for officials allegedly involved in unlawful detention and for the protection of constitutional rights, including freedom of speech, association and peaceful protest.