A resignation in a government not quite known for reacting hastily to pressure;

A protest in a corner of the capital amplified across the nation via Instagram Reels, selfie videos along with X and WhatsApp;

An official assurance to not prosecute violent protesters.

Last month, as we watched the Jantar Mantar protests simmer and boil over, a pot on the back-burner moved to the front.

What happened to those who took part in the Noida protests, where wage-workers from the factory shop-floor took to the street asking for more, a better pay and better working conditions?

Two state governments were quick to raise the wages, but curiously the police crackdown was unforgiving. Over 200 were arrested — largely workers with little by way of a safety net. Days in custody, hapless and helpless families, and then the bail orders started coming in.

Opening an investigation

This is when reporter Drishti Jain and Delhi City Editor Kaunain Sheriff M started investigating the arrests and what followed in the courts.

To pursue it, they decided to focus on the seven FIRs that accounted for over 100 arrests and had substantial allegations like rioting, arson, conspiracy, attempt to murder.

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These seven FIRs alone led them to 222 bail orders, and they found that in four out of five cases, the accused had been granted relief.

Total 222. Bail for 187.

The key findings of investigation into the Noida workers’ protest.

After trawling through court proceedings, a gargantuan Excel sheet by mid-July made the broad trends clear.

Bail was being granted by the courts, citing three main issues with police cases:

1. Mere presence at a protest is not enough to keep an accused in jail.
2. Where is the specific evidence like CCTV footage etc that connects the accused to the crime
3. How are you clubbing wage-workers and instigators of the mayhem together?

These questions prompted an even deeper dive, and the investigative series slowly started taking shape.

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With over a decade of experience in helming investigations at this newspaper, Ajay Shankar helped Kaunain and Drishti align the reporting, conduct editorial checks, legal vetting, generate more spreadsheets, conduct human source verifications, and multiple attempts to get official police responses.

‘A tale of two protests’

Authorities were given several chances to respond on the record, including a detailed email questionnaire to the police commissioner of Noida, however, no official was available to comment.

The Jantar Mantar protests were now behind us. And its outcome had offered contrast, perspective and pause and helped shine light on the crucial role of the judiciary in ensuring due process.

The State response to the two protests informed the opening line of the investigative piece that you can read in today’s paper.

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‘This is a tale of two protests – and two very different outcomes.’

You can read it here: How cases against Noida workers jailed for wage protest crumbled in courts