Bhai Pratap Dialdas

Untold Story of the suffering of

great freedom fighter

Bhai Pratap Dialdas was the founder of Gandhidham
Township which became home for Sindhi Refugee after Indo-
Pak partition. This is the event of suffering of the great
freedom fighter, it is sorrow that even such great freedom
fighter and social reformer are blamed and had to suffer lot.
Old age persons of Adipur narrate that Bhai Pratap had never
been in good mood after that event, previously he used to
take round of whole Township in his car and there after he
remained in his house most of the time. Probably this shock
had taken his life as he didnt live longer after this incident.
This I got from the web site and wished to share with all.

dgramchandani
6/24/2014


Bhai Pratap Dialdas
Untold Story of the suffering of great freedom fighter

In mid 1960s in Bombay, a prominent Sindhi freedom fighter Bhai
Pratap Singh was engaged in a flourishing import trade. Since the
days of the freedom struggle Bhai Pratap Singh had close links
with the towering Congress personalities then - Pandit Nehru,
Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel.

He had settled down in Bombay after the partition and had
worked hard to provide a home to Sindhis in Gandhidham who
were forced to leave behind home and hearth in Pakistan.

During one of the import transactions, a complaint was lodged
against him for misuse of the goods imported. An investigation
was launched against Bhai Pratap. With his resources, Bhai
Pratap was eager to have the best lawyer fighting defending him.
Bhai Pratap was acquainted with Ram Jethmalani through his
son-in-law Balu Patwardhan. Ram Jethmalani was a promising
young name in the legal arena then and was called upon to
handle the case.

But the case was a little complicated and on second thoughts Bhai
Pratap thought it prudent to engage someone more seasoned in
the legal games. An older and better known lawyer was brought
in to replace Ram.

But to Bhai Pratap's dismay, the experienced lawyer could not
prove Bhai Pratap's innocence. Bhai Pratap was convicted and
sentenced to 18 months of rigorous imprisonment.

His higher appeal spoilt the case even further. The sentence was
enhanced to another five years!
Finally Bhai Pratap, with his contacts with Pandit Nehru filed for a
mercy petition before the then Maharashtra governor in 1962
Vijay Lakshmi Pandit.
Probably because he knew Pandit Nehru so well, his petition was
closely attended to and scrutinised. The practice otherwise was to
dump such applications in the wastebasket.
Two secretaries BB Paymaster and RL Dalal were assigned the
task of going through the files. After a thorough examination it
was discovered that Bhai Pratap was innocent.
He had been unjustly convicted. The clinching evidence which
could prove his innocence had been held back by the public
prosecutor.
Now that he had been proved innocent, he deserved a pardon
from the governor. Here was the hitch.
During the same period there was another case of Mr. Nanavati.

On November 24, 1961 the 34-year-old Commander Kawas
Maneckshaw Nanavati was handed a life sentence for the murder
of Prem Ahuja, his wife Sylvia's seducer. It was the end of the
road for the brilliant Navy commander. His job was taken away.
For the young 28-year old Sylvia and her three children,
uncertainty stretched.
But the mercurial life of the Commander was yet to unspool an
even more strange drama. And for Sylvia, India had yet to unfold
the defining chapter in her life

In a reversal, Ram Jethmalani who had remained in the
background and helped the prosecution to nail Nanavati would
now come to the forefront and essay a role which perhaps even
he had not anticipated.

Two diverse threads would be woven to yield the fabric of
freedom.

Interest in the Nanavati case had not waned. The government
was under immense pressure to pardon Nanavati.
A large segment of people especially those from the Parsi
community felt that Nanavati did not deserve such a harsh
judgement. He was not a hardened, habitual criminal. His track
record in the services was impeccable. He had already served
some years in jail.
Earlier even in the Sessions Court, Justice RB Mehta had
observed that a nominal sentence would meet the ends of justice.
The Supreme court had held that Nanavati's life and career had
been irreversibly blighted by Prem Ahuja. And the provocation to
Nanavati was grave. But he had committed a murder and hence
the sentence.
The case had also turned into a Sindhi vs Parsi battle. Ram
Jethmalani a Sindhi was on Ahuja's side and the Parsi lawyer Karl
Khandalavala, the entire communist bloc led by the highly
influential and politically well-connected Blitz baron Russy
Karanjia, the influential Parsi Panchayat on Nanavati's side.
The government was in a catch-22 situation. If it was to release
Bhai Pratap Singh, the Parsi community would be antagonised.
And pardoning Nanavati would mean antagonizing the Sindhi
community as Prem Ahuja was a Sindhi.
Someone acceptable to both the communities who could ensure
the release of both without antagonising either was needed.
The year was 1962. One fine day, Ram Jethmalani opened the
door to unusual visitors at his Panchshila apartment. Rajni Patel,
the defence lawyer in the Nanavati case (now a hardcore
congressman) and the lovely Sylvia Nanavati!
Ram was taken back. He had no inkling of the behind the scenes
story. His mind worked furiously to establish the reason behind
the visit.
Rajni Patel came straight to the point. He had come with a
propositon a government proposition.

The government was prepared to pardon Bhai Pratap and
Nanavati both.
But Nanavati's pardon had to be done without angering the Sindhi
community. And if Mamie Ahuja said that she had no objection to
the pardon, then the rest was easy.

After all she was the victims sister and if she forgave the
murderer then nothing else mattered much.
And here is where Ram had to play the crucial role, Rajni stated.
Ram knew Mamie well. Mamie had chosen him to keep a watching
brief on the case so that Nanavati was convicted.

And now Ram had to convince her to give in writing that she had
no objection to Nanavati's release.
Ram conceded. He spoke to Mamie and was able to convince her
that she had no objection to the pardon
On the same day, Bhai Pratap and Nanavati were pardoned.
Says Ram Jethmalani: "The case was a turning point in my
career. Since then there has been no looking back for me."
It was also the turning point for the Nanavati's. After the release,
they left Indian shores never to return and never to be heard of.