In a significant development in the investigation into the violent labour protests that rocked Noida last month, the Gautam Buddh Nagar Police on Thursday claimed that more than ₹1 crore in foreign funding was credited to the personal bank account of an accused, Satyam Verma.
The revelation comes as police intensify their scrutiny of the financial networks behind the April 13, 2026, unrest, which involved tens of thousands of workers across various industrial sectors.
Foreign currency influx and fund transfers
According to an official statement, the police discovered that the funds were received in multiple currencies, including dollars, pounds, and euros. Satyam Verma, an active member of the Left-wing workers’ rights group ‘Bigul Mazdoor Dasta’, allegedly received these credits in his personal account and subsequently transferred the money to other personal accounts on multiple occasions.
“Several startling facts regarding the accused have come to light during the investigation into the violence and arson incidents,” the police stated. Authorities are currently conducting a thorough analysis and scrutiny of all transactions linked to Verma’s accounts.
National Security Act invoked
Following the financial disclosures and their alleged roles in the April 13 agitation, the police have initiated action under the National Security Act (NSA) against both Satyam Verma and another associate identified as Akriti.
The police claim that the duo played a “pivotal role” in orchestrating the disruption of public order. While Verma was arrested from Lucknow on April 19, Akriti and another member, Himanshu Thakur, were also taken into custody as part of the wider crackdown. Earlier, the police had arrested Aditya Anand, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the synchronized protests.
Scale of the April 13 unrest
The investigation stems from the massive labour demonstrations where an estimated 40,000 to 45,000 workers gathered at over 80 locations across the Gautam Buddh Nagar Commissionerate. While the majority of the protests were peaceful, “unruly elements” allegedly resorted to violence and arson in:
Sector 63: Reports of property damage and arson.
Motherson Company Premises: Violent demonstrations leading to security breaches.
Police personnel reported that while they attempted to manage the crowds with restraint, groups of protesters blocked major roads and disrupted traffic movement for several hours.
Investigation into linked organisations
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate confirmed that Verma is associated with several organizations currently under “intensive scrutiny.” While the police have not yet specified the countries from which the funds originated or the names of the other organizations being examined, they emphasized a zero-tolerance approach toward foreign-funded disruption of law and order.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities looking to unearth further backward and forward linkages to the funding network.
