End of INA and INA Trials (Red Fort Trials)

The Indian National Army (INA), also known as the Azad Hind Fauj, represented one of the most remarkable military and nationalist movements during India’s struggle for independence. Under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the INA fought alongside the Japanese forces against the British during the Second World War. However, after Japan’s defeat in 1945, the INA disintegrated, marking the end of its military campaign. The subsequent INA Trials (Red Fort Trials) of 1945–1946 became a significant political event that galvanised national sentiment and accelerated the final phase of India’s independence movement.

Background: Formation and Fall of the INA

The Indian National Army was initially formed by Captain Mohan Singh from Indian prisoners of war captured by the Japanese during the Malayan campaign (1942). It was later reorganised and revitalised by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943, who declared the establishment of the Provisional Government of Free India (Azad Hind) in Singapore.
The INA, in alliance with Japanese forces, launched military operations against British India through Burma and north-eastern India, capturing parts of Manipur and Nagaland, including Moirang. However, following the defeat of Japan in 1945 and the fall of Rangoon, the INA lost logistical support and was forced to surrender. Bose himself disappeared in August 1945 following a plane crash in Formosa (now Taiwan).
With Japan’s surrender, thousands of INA soldiers were taken prisoner by the British Indian Army, marking the effective end of the INA as a fighting force.

British Reaction and Decision to Prosecute

The British authorities viewed the INA’s activities as acts of treason since its members were technically soldiers of the British Indian Army who had joined enemy ranks. To assert imperial authority and discourage future rebellion, the British decided to prosecute INA officers under the Indian Army Act, 1911, for waging war against the King-Emperor and collaborating with the enemy.
However, the decision to conduct public trials backfired politically, as it transformed the INA soldiers into national heroes in the eyes of the Indian populace.

The Red Fort Trials: An Overview

The trials of the captured INA officers were held at the Red Fort in Delhi between November 1945 and May 1946, hence popularly known as the Red Fort Trials.
The first and most famous of these trials began on 5 November 1945, when three senior officers were charged jointly:

• Colonel Prem Kumar Sehgal,
• Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, and
• Major General Shah Nawaz Khan.

They were accused of committing treason, murder, and abetment of murder while serving with the Japanese and fighting against the British Crown.

Defence and Legal Proceedings

The defence of the INA officers was led by a team of prominent Indian lawyers and political leaders, symbolising national unity.Key figures included:

• Bhulabhai Desai, who led the defence with his powerful legal arguments,
• Sir Tej Bahadur Sapru,
• Jawaharlal Nehru, who appeared in his lawyer’s robes to support the defence, and
• Asaf Ali and Kailash Nath Katju, among others.

The defence strategy emphasised that the INA soldiers were patriots fighting for India’s liberation, not traitors. They argued that their allegiance was to the Indian nation, not the British Empire.
The trials attracted massive public and political attention. Daily newspaper reports, rallies, and protest marches across the country turned the courtroom proceedings into a national movement. The Indian National Congress, the Muslim League, and even the Communist Party united in demanding clemency for the accused.

Public Reaction and National Impact

The Red Fort Trials sparked unprecedented nationalist fervour across India. Demonstrations, strikes, and processions were organised in support of the INA prisoners. Public sentiment transformed the accused officers into symbols of national pride and resistance against colonial rule.
The movement had several significant effects:

• National Unity: For the first time, Indians from all communities — Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs — united in defence of the INA heroes.
• Political Pressure: The British administration faced immense political pressure, as both the Congress and Muslim League supported the demand for leniency.
• Radicalisation of Armed Forces: The trials inspired sympathy within the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, leading to discontent and mutinies in 1946, most notably the Royal Indian Navy (RIN) Mutiny in Bombay.

Verdict and Outcome

The court-martial concluded on 31 December 1945, finding all three officers guilty of waging war against the King-Emperor. They were sentenced to transportation for life (imprisonment).
However, due to massive public outrage and the political repercussions of the verdict, the Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, exercised his power of clemency and set aside the sentences in January 1946. The three officers were released to avoid further unrest.

Subsequent Trials

Following the first trial, several other INA officers were tried at the Red Fort and other locations, though none generated as much public attention. The government eventually abandoned the remaining trials due to rising nationalist agitation and fear of rebellion within the armed forces.

End of the INA and Its Legacy

With the release of the prisoners and the disbandment of the INA, the organisation ceased to exist as a military entity. However, its ideological legacy endured.

• The INA became a symbol of patriotic defiance and contributed to the erosion of loyalty among Indian soldiers to the British Crown.
• It played a crucial role in changing British attitudes, as the colonial administration realised that continued rule over India was no longer sustainable in the face of growing nationalist sentiment.
• The INA and its trials reinforced the narrative of a united struggle for freedom, bridging divides across political and communal lines.

Historical Significance

The end of the INA and the Red Fort Trials of 1946 marked a decisive phase in India’s freedom movement. They revealed the deep connection between the military and political dimensions of the struggle and demonstrated that the British Empire could no longer rely on Indian forces to uphold colonial authority.
By igniting public emotion, fostering national unity, and influencing the armed forces’ loyalty, the trials hastened the process of decolonisation. When India achieved independence in August 1947, the memory of the INA and its martyrs — immortalised in the slogan “Jai Hind” — remained a lasting symbol of courage and sacrifice in the cause of freedom.