Practising Law at Gurdaspur continues....


The case was false but the police challenged him and the real culprit was let off. Hari Chand was a convicting magistrate. He used to take pride that no one was ever let off from his court. He sentenced a Jat to some 30 years imprisonment on several counts once. The man was 70 years old and told the magistrate that he could stand a few years imprisonment only and. asked him, “Who will suffer the rest of the sentence after my death, your father?” This upset the magistrate and he gave him an additional sentence for contempt. As Balmukand was related to Diwan Sant Ram the case became sensational and police made every effort to get a conviction. Hari Chand sentenced him to two years rigorous Imprisonment. Luckily, Martinue, Sessions Judge, was known for his administration of
impartial justice. He was not influenced by any extraneous considerations. The appeal was argued before him by Bakshi Tek Chand who had come down from Lahore specially for this. Martinue acquitted the accused. I was very much impressed by the way Martinue heard the appeal and by his judicial demeanour and patience. Rai Sahab Ralia Ram, a Christian advocate, was the public prosecutor. He was as zealous in demanding convictions as Hari Chand was in awarding them. He never learnt the wholesome British convention that a public prosecutor is to apprise the court fairly of both sides of the case and not act like a persecutor.

The third was a civil case. This concerned succession to the gaddi of Pindori, a shrine of Udasi Sadhus a few miles from Gurdaspur. When its Mahant died the question arose as to who was the, lawful Chela entitled to succession. Naturally this turned on the earlier practice in this shrine in such matters, a question of custom. The case lasted several years and eventually Ram Das, his Chela, secured the succession. This case settled the custom of succession to this shrine.

to be continued...

( This account is maintained by Har Anand Publication)