August 15, 2025

Justice Sir Achhru Ram Sehgal was a respected judge at the Lahore High Court. But when his son, Captain Prem Sehgal, stood accused of treason for joining the Indian National Army (INA), the judge faced a heart-wrenching choice between his duty and his child. Sir Achhru Ram chose to stand by his son. He offered to resign from his job to help with Prem’s legal defence. However, Chief Justice Sir Arthur Trevor Harries, a man with a strong sense of justice and kindness, said, “Why don’t you take leave instead?” This generous act kept the legal system fair while showing true humanity. The Congress formed a defence committee with famous names like Tej Bahadur Sapru, Asaf Ali, K.N. Katju, and young leaders inspired by Nehru. They worked without pay but needed a space. Sir Achhru Ram arranged a bungalow in West Delhi, turning it into a legal war room where plans and battles of words were made. Everyone knew that only one man could carry the case with the heavy moral and legal weight it deserved: Bhulabhai Desai from Bombay. Although very sick, Desai was moved to take the case when Captain Lakshmi Sahgal, from a prison cell in Kohima, sent a message: “Only Bhulabhai must speak for us.” Even then, Desai hesitated until Sir Achhru Ram quietly shared that Prem was his son. Then Desai said yes. In court, Desai’s defence was fiery and fearless. He argued that the INA was no rebel group but the true army of a Provisional Government of Free India. He showed that this government had real control over parts of India and was recognized by nine countries. Therefore, INA soldiers were prisoners of war, not traitors. Desai’s words shook the British Empire. His doctors feared for his health, but he told his team, “If death comes to me, let it come; but I cannot allow the jeopardising of the lives of our precious patriots.” Outside the Red Fort, people shouted slogans like “Lal Qile se uthi aawaz: Sehgal, Dhillon, Shahnawaz!” The names became symbols of brave unity across India’s religions and communities. Both the Congress and Muslim League supported the defendants. Jawaharlal Nehru later wrote that this wave of support came from the heart of India’s freedom struggle. Nehru himself joined the defence lawyers for the first time in 30 years. Crowds gathered outside the Red Fort in huge numbers, some coming miles away just to stand in solidarity. This unity in diversity was a bright flame of hope during a tough colonial time. Although the judges found Sehgal, Dhillon, and Shahnawaz guilty and sentenced them to life transport, the political cost was huge for the British. The British commander, Field Marshal Auchinleck, advised dropping the trials and granting amnesty to calm the angry country. This advice was accepted, and the harsh sentences were never carried out. Desai returned home but sadly died in May 1946. His courtroom battle is remembered as one of the most heroic in Indian legal history. The INA trials were a last shining moment of Indian unity before the tragic partition and communal violence began. They remind us that true patriotism and courage, not just politics, built the idea of India. After independence, Justice Achhru Ram came back to serve on the Bench and later became India’s first Custodian-General of Evacuee Property. Captain Prem Sehgal married Captain Lakshmi Sahgal. Lakshmi became a renowned doctor and politician, running for President of India. Their daughter, Subhashini Ali, followed their footsteps in activism. Sir Arthur Trevor Harries continued his judicial career in India before retiring. General Shahnawaz Khan stayed in India and became a Union Minister. A fascinating twist: the great Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan is related to the family, bridging history and popular culture. This story shows us how the sounds from the Red Fort — once full of courtroom drama and cries for justice — still echo the spirit of India’s freedom struggle. Maybe this Independence Day, we’ll truly listen.

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Tags: Ina trials, Captain prem sehgal, Bhulabhai desai, Red fort, Indian national army, Indian independence,