The Alipore Bomb Trial

SIXTH DAY’S PROCEEDINGS

     His Lordship resumed the further hearing of the reference in the Alipore Bomb Case. The Advocate General continuing his argument on behalf of the Crown narrated the overt acts. He began with the attempted bomb outrage at the house of the Mayor of Chundernagore. It was in evidence that in the first week of April three bombs were sent to Indra. It had been proved that the bombs that were thrown at the Mayor’s house contained sulphide of lead. The usual ingredient used in bomb-making was sulphide of antimony. There was nothing to show why this departure was made in this case. It was proved that the black powder that was found in the house of the Sen Brothers of Sylhet also contained sulphide of lead. The black detonating powder, found at 134, Harrison Road, another centre of conspiracy, also contained sulphide of lead. It was a curious coincidence that in all these centres of conspiracy sulphide of lead was found. The next overt act was perpetrated on the 30^th April. This unfortunate occurrence was known as the Muzafferpur bomb outrage in which two innocent ladies were the victims. It was clear that the aim of the conspirators was the life of Mr. Kingsford who as the Chief Presidency Magistrate, had convicted on various occasions the seditious newspapers. He had also sentenced Susil, one of the appellants before his Lordship, to be whipped for assaulting police outside the Court compound during the hearing of one of these sedition cases. This was followed by long correspondence in which Mr. Kingsford was described as a "butcher magistrate" and Susil was belauded as a patriot. Of the two actors in the Mozafferpur outrage, one was hanged and the other committed suicide. But the real moral guilt lay on the instigators though the actual murders were committed by the two misguided youths. The real instigator was Barin and the Advocate General would not understand how Barin could escape a trial under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. It was in the confession of Barin that the bomb used at Muzafferpur was prepared by Hem Chunder Das and Ullaskar Dutt, at 15, Gopi Mohan Dutt’s Lane, another centre of conspiracy. Then on the 6^th or 7^th of May occurred an explosion of gunpowder at 37 College Street in the house of Colonel Nundy in the room occupied by the appellant Indra Nath Nandi. On the 12^th April Krishna Jiban was arrested and on the 15^th May the two Sen Brothers were also arrested. Then followed the Magisterial enquiry during which period the approver Gossain was murdered. On 21^st September commitment order was passed and the trial commenced before the Sessions Judge. During the period there was another murder and the victim in this occasion was Mr. Biswas, the public prosecutor.

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     The Advocate General next referred to the charge. The only charge on which the Crown relied was that of conspiracy for the purpose of subversion of Government under section 12 A. The Advocate General then dealt with the individual cases and had not concluded when the Court rose for the day.

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