Sequel to a Martial Law Case

WE have for the last few days lying before us a petition submitted to His Excellency the Viceroy by Sardul Singh Cavessieur, B.A., of Lahore. The petition relates a story of persecution and denial of justice which would be almost incredible, were it not for the fact that it is only a sequel to the Martial Law regime when everything was possible. We will briefly tell the story in the words of the petitioner himself. The petitioner, who was the editor of the New Herald, had, it appears, taken part in the agitation against the Rowlatt Act, and in the Martial Law days, a warrant of arrest was issued against him. The warrant could not, however, be executed because his whereabouts were not known. On 4th June, he reached Bagarian in Ludhiana district and from there submitted a letter to the Punjab Government, through the Chief of Bagarian and the Maharaja of Nabha, both of whom recommended it. In this letter, he said though he was innocent, he was prepared to stop his paper and leave political work for as long a time as the Government thought proper, if the warrant against him were cancelled. For more than two months, the Punjab Government neither got him arrested nor sent any reply to his letter, though they knew he was at Bagarian. In the meantime, Martial Law came to an end and the warrant became inoperative. In the first week of August, he again approached His Honour and his case was referred to Mr. Thompson, who issued warrants against the petitioner, with the result he was arrested on 6th August. On being taken to Lahore, he was placed before the C.I.D. Superintendent, who asked him what he would do if he were released. On his replying that he would work for Home Rule on Congress lines, the Superintendent is said to have become very angry and said that for such a man, the Government should have no pity.

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