The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 28
28 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN of the manner in which I was conducting the case on behalf of the Crown. It was during the pendency of that case that I was able to go to the second Roundtable Conference in the fall of 1931. I had an able junior who acted in my place while I was away. He had assisted me throughout the case and continued to assist my successor till the case came to an end, but he had very little to do in my absence, for I found when I came back and resumed my duties in the case that the first approver, whom I had left in the dock under cross-examination, was still under cross-examination. Eventually, the Tribunal was dissolved and the accused were sent to the ordinary courts for trial on charges of specific offenses that they had committed. I happened to be lunching with the then Viceroy, Lord Willingdon, a very gracious personality. He told me, "Oh, my dear, we have taken your advice. We have dissolved the Tribunal, and the accused are now, I understand, being tried under the normal procedure before the normal courts. " I replied, "If Your Excellency's government had taken my advice at the time when I gave it, the whole thing would have been settled a couple years earlier, at very much less expense. " Two incidents arising out of the trial may be mentioned. I went over to the accused, who were in the dock and were preparing to go back to jail, and shook hands with each of them. When I shook hands with Dhanvantri, he kept my hand between his for a few seconds, and said, "May I ask you a favour?" I said, "Certainly. " He said, "After all this business is over, I will probably have to serve a jail sentence anyhow, but when I am out again will you promise that you will come and meet me?" I said, "Yes, I certainly will. " Happening to be up in Srinagar, two or three years later, I learned that his elder brother was Secretary of the Municipal Committee of Srinagar and I got in touch with him. I inquired of him where Dhanvantri was and he told me that he was serving his sentence in jail. Some years later, when I made some further inquiry, I discovered to my regret that he had died. He had served out his sentence and had been released from jail but did not survive for long. So, I was not able to keep my promise. H. S. Vatsayana, who was an M. Sc. and Gold Medallist in Industrial Chemistry, was the scientist of the party. He came to see me years later, when, after having been for a number of years Minister in the Central