§ SIR H. COTTON (Nottingham, E.)I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether a Hindu has been lately sentenced to five years transportation for preaching sedition to passengers in a railway carriage; if so, whether the accused in this case was tried by a jury; and whether there were any special reasons for the infliction of so severe a sentence.
§ THE UNDER - SECRETARY OF STATE FOR INDIA (Mr. BUCHANAN,) Perthshire, E.Proceedings were recently instituted under Sections 124 (a) and 153 (a) Indian Penal Code against a Hindu for seditious and inflammatory speeches made on the Hyderabad railway. The Secretary of State has no official information as to the mode of trial or its result. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, it would be open to the accused, on conviction, to appeal for a reduction of his sentence.