Alipore Conspiracy Trial 1908-1909

The Alipore Conspiracy Trial (1908–1909) was one of the most significant political trials in India’s freedom struggle, symbolising the emergence of the revolutionary nationalist movement against British rule. The trial was a direct consequence of a violent uprising planned by young revolutionaries associated with the Jugantar group in Bengal. It marked a decisive shift in India’s anti-colonial movement—from constitutional agitation led by moderates to militant nationalism led by revolutionaries.
The case derived its name from the Alipore Jail in Calcutta (now Kolkata), where the accused were imprisoned and tried. The trial captured national attention and became a landmark in the history of India’s revolutionary struggle.

Historical Background

By the beginning of the twentieth century, the Swadeshi and Boycott Movements (1905–1908) had stirred political consciousness in Bengal following the Partition of Bengal (1905) by Lord Curzon. While moderate leaders of the Indian National Congress advocated petitions and constitutional reforms, a section of radical youth turned towards revolutionary methods to overthrow British rule.
The Anushilan Samiti and its offshoot, the Jugantar Party, founded by Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Bhupendranath Datta, and others, became prominent centres of revolutionary activity. They believed that armed struggle was essential to end colonial oppression.
The immediate catalyst for the Alipore case was an attempt to assassinate a British official, which went tragically wrong and led to widespread arrests.

The Muzaffarpur Bomb Incident (April 1908)

On 30 April 1908, two young revolutionaries, Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki, attempted to assassinate Mr. Kingsford, the Chief Presidency Magistrate of Calcutta, who had gained notoriety for his harsh sentences against nationalists.
Kingsford had recently been transferred to Muzaffarpur in Bihar. Acting on orders from the Jugantar leadership, the two young men threw a bomb at a carriage believed to be carrying Kingsford. Unfortunately, the bomb killed Mrs. Kennedy and her daughter, who were in a similar carriage, while Kingsford escaped unhurt.
Following the attack, Prafulla Chaki shot himself to avoid arrest, and Khudiram Bose was captured and executed on 11 August 1908.
The incident provided the British government with justification to launch a massive crackdown on revolutionary organisations in Bengal.

The Conspiracy and Arrests

The police investigation, led by C.I.D. officer Shamsul Alam, uncovered extensive evidence linking the bomb attack to the Anushilan Samiti and Jugantar groups in Calcutta. The search of a garden house in Murari Pukur, owned by Barindra Kumar Ghosh, yielded explosives, bomb-making materials, and revolutionary literature.
Over thirty-four revolutionaries, including Aurobindo Ghosh, Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Ullaskar Dutt, Hemchandra Das, Indu Bhushan Roy, and Upendranath Banerjee, were arrested and charged with “waging war against the King-Emperor” under Sections 121, 121A, and 122 of the Indian Penal Code.
This became known as the Alipore Conspiracy Case or Alipore Bomb Case.

The Trial

The trial commenced in May 1908 and lasted for nearly a year, becoming one of the longest and most publicised trials of the colonial era. It was held in the Sessions Court at Alipore Jail, with Judge Charles F. Norman presiding.
Crown Prosecutor: Eardley Norton.Defence Counsel: Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das), who later became a leading nationalist leader.
Charges: The accused were charged with:

• Conspiring to wage war against the British Crown.
• Illegal manufacture and possession of explosives.
• Planning and executing political assassinations.

Role of Aurobindo Ghosh

Aurobindo Ghosh, though not directly involved in the bomb-making activities, was accused of being the ideological leader of the conspiracy. He was alleged to have inspired and organised the revolutionaries through his writings in the newspaper Bande Mataram, which propagated the message of militant nationalism.
His younger brother Barindra Kumar Ghosh and several associates were accused of managing the bomb factory and orchestrating assassination plots against British officials.
During the trial, C.R. Das delivered a historic defence of Aurobindo, portraying him not as a criminal but as a patriot and philosopher devoted to India’s spiritual and political upliftment. Das’s eloquent plea became one of the most celebrated speeches in Indian legal history.

Evidence and Proceedings

The prosecution relied heavily on:

• Documents and bombs seized from the Murari Pukur garden house.
• Testimony of Narendranath Goswami, an approver (government witness) who turned against his comrades.

However, the credibility of Goswami’s testimony was compromised when he was assassinated inside Alipore Jail by fellow revolutionaries before his cross-examination could be completed. This incident weakened the prosecution’s case substantially.
The British also tried to use Aurobindo’s writings as evidence of sedition, but no direct link to violent activities could be established.

Verdict and Sentences

On 6 May 1909, the final verdict was pronounced. Out of the 34 accused:

• Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Ullaskar Dutt were sentenced to death, later commuted to life transportation to the Cellular Jail in the Andamans.
• Aurobindo Ghosh and several others were acquitted due to lack of concrete evidence.
• Other accused received various sentences ranging from transportation to imprisonment.

The acquittal of Aurobindo Ghosh made him a national hero. Following his release, he withdrew from active politics and later settled in Pondicherry, where he became a spiritual philosopher and yogi, founding the Sri Aurobindo Ashram.

Impact and Significance

The Alipore Conspiracy Trial had profound consequences for India’s independence movement:
1. Emergence of Revolutionary Nationalism: The trial exposed the organised nature of revolutionary groups in Bengal and inspired similar movements across India.
2. Popular Awakening: The public perception of the accused as freedom fighters rather than criminals strengthened the nationalist sentiment among Indians.
3. Suppression and Crackdown: The British Government intensified surveillance, arrests, and censorship of nationalist publications to curb revolutionary activities.
4. Shift in Strategy: While the revolutionary phase temporarily subsided after 1909, the trial’s events sowed seeds for future militant movements, influencing leaders such as Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, and Subhas Chandra Bose.
5. Transformation of Aurobindo: Aurobindo’s spiritual awakening during his imprisonment led to his transition from political activism to philosophy and spirituality, influencing future generations of Indian thinkers.

Legacy

The Alipore Conspiracy Trial remains a landmark in India’s legal and political history for its combination of patriotism, sacrifice, and judicial drama. It showcased the courage and conviction of young revolutionaries who were ready to embrace martyrdom for national freedom.
It also marked the beginning of a new phase in India’s freedom movement, where the message of Bande Mataram and the ideal of complete independence (Purna Swaraj) gained momentum beyond Bengal.
The site of the trial, Alipore Jail, has since become a historical monument associated with India’s freedom struggle.