MR. C.,T. O'DONNELL (Newington, Walworth)To ask the Secretary of State for India whether he can state the cause of the delay in bringing the three barristers arrested at Rawal Pindi on 2nd May to trial on 30th May; and whether, during these four weeks, they were kept in prison, although bail to the amount of£20,000 was offered.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) I am not aware why the persons referred to were not brought to trial until 30th May. Application for bail was made to the chief court of the Punjab, but was refused. As my lion, friend knows, release of a prisoner on bail pending trial is a matter entirely within the discretion of the court.
§ MR. C. J. O'DONNELLTo ask the Secretary of State for India whether he has received from the Government in India any explanation of the cause of delay in arresting three barristers, on the 2nd of May at Rawal Pindi, for speaking, on the 21st April, at a public meeting in support of resolutions, to be forwarded to the Lieutenant-Governor, asking for redress in connection with land revenue and irrigation rates; whether there was any disturbance in Rawal Pindi between the 21st April and the 2nd May; and whether the only disorder occurred immediately after the arrests.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Morley.) The three pleaders were not arrested for speaking at the meeting held on 21st April, but for complicity in the riots that occurred on 2nd May. I am not aware that there were any disturbances between 21st April and 2nd May, and the riots on the latter date preceded, and did not follow, the arrests, and there has been no disorder since.