PRAYAGRAJ, Sept. 17 -- The Allahabad high court on Wednesday asked the state government to file counter affidavit on a habeas corpus petition filed by journalist Satyam Verma, challenging his preventive detention under the National Security Act, 1980 (NSA), for his alleged participation in the April 2026 workers' protest at Noida. The bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Achal Sachdev sought the replies of the respondents and posted the matter for October 7 for the next hearing. Verma challenged the detention order dated May 12, 2026, passed by the district magistrate, Gautam Buddh Nagar, under NSA. He also challenged the state government's approval order dated May 20, 2026, under Section 3(4) and the subsequent order dated June 10, 2026, under Section 12(1) of the Act. According to the petitioner, the detention order was allegedly based on a "factually impossible" premise that Verma was involved in the violence in Noida on April 13, 2026. The petition claims that, according to the CCTV footage and call detail records (CDRs), Verma was approximately 500 km away in Lucknow, where he was allegedly detained by the Hasanganj police at 2:14 pm on the same day. The petition also contends that Verma was not named in any of the 11 FIRs relied upon by the state for the detention. The Uttar Pradesh Police alleged that Verma played an important role in the April 13 violence, arson and spread of disorder during the workers' protest, attempting to disrupt public order by allegedly provoking people in various areas. The workers were protesting for a wage hike and improved working conditions. The alleged incidents included vehicle burning, trespassing and stone pel- ting reported at some places following which police lathi-charged workers and detained hundreds of them and seven activists. Verma was arrested in Lucknow on April 17 in connection with cases arising from the workers' protest. He was subsequently booked separately under the National Security Act on May 13 along with student activist Akriti Chaudhary....