New book delves into Bhagat Singh’s flawed legal trial & his enduring legacy

New Delhi: The colonial British administration used controversial legislative powers to convict Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh to death, which were never approved by the Central Legislative Assembly in India nor the British Parliament.

A new book, titled ‘The Execution of Bhagat Singh: Legal Heresies of the Raj’ by London-based law professor Dr Satvinder Singh Juss, debunks the myth that the British Raj introduced the ‘rule of law’ in colonial India by looking at Singh’s legal trial Published by HarperCollins India, the book will be launched on 23 March on ‘Soft Cover’ — ThePrint’s e-venue to launch select non-fiction books. Singh was only 23 when he was executed in 1931, and the administration constituted a three-judge special tribunal, which was mandated to complete the hearing within a fixed period.

The tribunal also did not allow 457 prosecution witnesses to be cross-examined, the book reveals. Full of engrossing details from previously unpublished original archival material, including hand-written documents translated for the first time, Juss’ offers a fresh look at the enduring legacy of the revolutionary. The author, who is a London-based law professor and practising barrister, looks at these and other flaws in the legal process that followed leading to the hanging.

Through a comparison of the emerging case-law in the UK with what was decided in the trial, he gives fresh insights into the use of colonial power. “Satvinder Singh Juss gives a definitive account of the controversial trial of Bhagat Singh, whose legend continues to grow year by year. This is a major title on a subject of enduring interest,” said Krishan Chopra, Publisher, HarperCollins India.

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