HC Deb 19 November 1908 vol 196 cc1392-4
MR. KEIR HARDIE

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the revelations of police corruption and perjury at Midnapur and elsewhere in India, and of the effect of this in bringing Courts of law into contempt amongst the natives, it is proposed to cause a searching inquiry to be made into this and similar cases.

I beg also to ask the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can communicate to the House the facts concerning the collapse of the conspiracy case at Midnapur; whether the chief witness in the prosecution stated in the Court that his former evidence had been a concoction given at the instigation of the police; whether the charge against the accused was thereupon withdrawn; whether the Rajah of Narajole and twenty-three others, many of them leading citizens of Midnapur, were discharged; whether he can say how long these men had been kept in prison on a false charge; and what compensation it is proposed to pay them.

MR. BUCHANAN

I will answer the hon. Member's two Questions on this subject together. On the 9th November twenty-two of the accused in the Midnapur conspiracy case were released after periods of detention averaging about a month. The informer who was the principal witness against them retracted his former statements, which he said had been elicited by threats and promises on the part of the police. There are three prisoners still under trial. When the judicial proceedings are concluded full inquiry will, no doubt, be made by the local Government into this case. It is not proposed to pay compensation to the accused who have been discharged. I may add that there was a comprehensive review of police administration in 1902.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Were these accused arrested on the strength of the concocted evidence of these so-called informers, and does not a claim for compensation therefore arise?

MR. BUCHANAN

I do not quite understand the word "claim," but I gather from the newspapers that one or more of these men who were prisoners will raise an action in the Courts.

* MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)

May I ask whether the police who were guilty of corruption and perjury in this case were Europeans or natives of India; and, if the latter, whether admiration for native methods of administration can logically stop short of approval of native police methods?

SIR H. COTTON

Are these three prisoners still on trial the three men who were informers in the first instance?

MR. BUCHANAN

I am not aware; I should like notice of that.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Will the hon. Gentleman cause a searching inquiry to be made into this and similar cases?

MR. BUCHANAN

The hon. Gentleman assumes guilt in a large number of cases which are not yet proved. With regard to the general investigation as to the conduct of the police, such an investigation was held a very few years ago, and the Secretary of State does not propose to institute another general inquiry.

MR. KEIR HARDIE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that during the last twelve months there have been four cases almost identical with the one here referred to, and does not that justify an inquiry of some kind?

MR. BUCHANAN

The hon. Member must not assume that in this particular case the allegations are proved.

* MR. REES

Were the police concerned Europeans or natives of India?

MR. BUCHANAN

I think they were natives of India.

SIR H. COTTON

Is it the fact that the principal informer in this case who retracted his confession said he did so under the influence of torture by the police?

MR. BUCHANAN

I am not aware of that.