Robin Verma
Social Activist
Uttar Pradesh

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on January 8 regarding the arbitrary arrest and torture of Mr. Robin Verma by Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police. Mr. Verma is an activist with the Rihai Manch and a teacher at the Shia Post Graduate College. He is also part of several movements against caste and communalism.

On December 20, 2019, Mr. Verma was detained by four plainclothes policemen along with journalist Mr. Omar Rashid from an eatery and forcibly taken to the Hazratganj police station on the pretext of an inquiry. The policemen also threatened to book both of them under Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code. Mr. Verma was physically assaulted on arrival at the police station. While Mr. Rashid was released after a few hours, Mr. Verma was sent to jail. 

The date and place of Mr. Verma’s arrest as mentioned in the FIR (600/2019) for violating Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code is different. Mr. Verma is charged under Sections 147, 148, 149, 152, 307, 323, 504, 506, 332, 353, 188, 435, 436, 120B, and 427 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 3 and 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, and Section 7 of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act.