§ 7. Mr. MORRELLasked the Undersecretary of State for India what steps, if any, the Secretary of State has taken to inquire into the operation of the law in respect of appeals against acquittals, as illustrated by the recent Sitapur case, in which two men who had been acquitted by the Court which tried their case were afterwards condemned to death and hanged by the Order of a Court which had neither the accused nor the accusers before it, which considered no evidence other than the record of the Court below, and did not in fact try the case at all; and whether, in view of the frequent occurrence of cases of this kind in recent years, he will see that the law is altered without unnecessary delay?
§ The UNDERSECRETARY Of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Charles Roberts)I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for South Donegal on the 17th February, to which I have nothing to add.
§ Mr. MORRELLWhat steps are being taken to investigate this matter, and could the Under-Secretary amplify it in any way?
§ Mr. C. ROBERTSI do not think I can usefully add anything which is not contained in the answer referred to.