Bhagat knew British spied upon him

Bhagat Singh was being snooped on — files of the Home Department have admitted; and weekly reports of the Intelligence Bureau have confirmed. But did Bhagat Singh know that his mail was being intercepted? Historians have grappled with the question for decades. 

Finally, the answer has been found inside the pile of papers found at his younger brother Ranbir Singh's house. A collection of five letters —typed copies — sent to various officials, including HD Craik, the then chief secretary to the government of Punjab, have confirmed that Bhagat Singh was aware of the fact that his communication was being intercepted by the British Government. 

He was just 19 then. It was a time when the Naujawan Bharat Sabha had just been formed. The five letters exchanged between the martyr and various government functionaries between October 26, 1926 and November 1926 throw light on this aspect. In a letter addressed to the Postmaster-General, Punjab, on October 26, 1926, Bhagat Singh raised suspicion that his mail was being opened and delivery delayed. Four days later, the Postmaster-General asked him a few questions regarding the circumstances under which the post was delayed and asked him to send envelopes of the letters that he alleged had been re-stamped.

On November 1, Bhagat Singh sent the envelope and asked the postmaster to answer whether his mail was being intercepted. “But may I request to write a definite answer to my last letter. Are any letters censored or intercepted, if so, why?” Then, on November 17, addressing the martyr's question, the Postmaster-General confirmed that his mail was being censored under the orders of the Punjab Government.

The same day, enclosing the letter from the Postmaster-General, Bhagat Singh shot off another letter to the Secretary, Government of Punjab, asking whether such orders had been issued to that department.  Failing to get any reply, on November 28, he shot off another letter to the Secretary wanting “to know what led the Punjab Government to issue such orders.” He said: “As an honest citizen, I have a right to enquire such a question relating to myself.” All this while, he was unaware that HD Craik had already replied to his letter on November 27, which he was yet to receive. Craik had confirmed his fear. “Orders for the interception of your correspondence were issued by the Governor in Council,”  the British officer wrote.