LITIGANTS, LAWYERS AND JUDGES continues...

This case brought home to me the fact that the evidence of handwriting experts could not be relied upon. As a Judge, I never acted on the mere testimony of a handwriting expert.

Mr. Justice Harrison of the Lahore High Court had an attack of dysentery. After having been absent from the Court for about a fortnight, he resumed duty. On the day when he returned to the Court, I appeared in the first. case before a Bench presided over by Mr. Justice Addison and Mr. Justice Harrison. I started my arguments. After about an hour, Mr. Harrison started putting all kinds o f irrelevant questions to me which had nothing to do with the case. This went on for about an hour. Mr. Justice Addison then suggested to me that I should close my arguments as there was something wrong with his brother Judge. Mr. Justice Addison left the court. Mr. Justice Harrison went to his chamber and called for his stenotypist. When he came Mr. Justice Harrison went on dictating to him right up to 8 P.M. Meanwhile, the Chief Justice, Sir Shadi Lal, was informed about what had happened.

Along with the Governor he came to Justice Harrison’s chamber and persuaded him to leave it. The Chief Justice and the Governor took him to his house. He was then medically examined. The doctors declared that he had gone off his head. The Government decided to send him away to England. There he was put in a mental hospital where he died. This was the sad end of a brilliant Judge.

Sir Shadi Lal, as Chief Justice, retired in the year 1934. On his retirement, a grand party was given to him by citizens, in the famous Shalimar Garden of Lahore. It was attended by about 1,300 people and the whole garden was decorated with coloured lights and buntings. Sir Shadi Lal was one of the greatest Chief Justices that any High Court in India had. He was an astute lawyer and a brilliant Judge. His judgments were brief, to the point and written in chaste English.

to be continued.....