§ 13. Mr. MORRELLasked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the statistics received from the province of Bengal of alleged serious ill-treatment or torture by the police in the year 1912–13, from which it appears that sixty-two cases were reported, that fifty were brought before the criminal Courts, that twelve resulted in the conviction of the accused constable, and seven are said to have been compromised; whether he can say how these figures compare with the figures of other years in Bengal; and whether he has received any similar report from other provinces?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for INDIA (Mr. Charles Roberts)The answer to the first part is in the affirmative, except that the number of convictions was thirteen, and not twelve, as stated. In regard to the second part, it is not possible to institute an exact comparison, since the reports for previous years do not furnish exactly comparable statistics. In reply to the third part, statements regarding cases of ill-treatment by the police are given in the annual police reports of the various provinces. I shall be glad to place these reports at the disposal of my hon. Friend.
§ Mr. MORRELLCan the hon. Gentleman say generally whether the police torture in other provinces is commensurate with the police torture that takes place in Bengal; is it not a fact that in the last six years seventeen persons have died under police torture in India, and what steps have the Government taken?
§ Mr. ROBERTSWill the hon. Member please put that question down on the Paper?