Indian National Army (INA) Trials

This episode beautifully captures how Subhas Chandra Bose’s dream, though militarily defeated, succeeded in igniting patriotic fire across India — uniting people across caste, creed, and political lines like never before.

Background: What Happened After Japan’s Surrender

When Japan surrendered in September 1945, World War II officially ended in Asia.
Now, the Indian National Army (INA) — which had fought alongside Japan under the leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose — was left without support.

As a result:

• Thousands of INA soldiers fell into the hands of the Allied forces (mainly the British) and were taken as Prisoners of War (PoWs).
• Most of them were released after simple punishments — cashiering (dismissal from service) and forfeiture of pay and allowances.

However, the British decided to make an example out of those who had held high ranks or were accused of “serious offences” — like waging war against the King-Emperor or murder of British soldiers.

Thus began the infamous INA Trials — held inside Delhi’s historic Red Fort.

The INA Trials (1945–46): Key Facts

• About ten court-martials (military trials) were held between November 1945 and May 1946.
• The first and most famous was the joint court-martial of:
  1. Colonel Prem Kumar Sahgal
  2. Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon
  3. Major-General Shah Nawaz Khan

These three men represented the three major communities — Hindu, Sikh, and Muslim — symbolizing India’s unity in diversity.

• The charge: Waging war against the King-Emperor, which was considered treason.
  According to military law, the court was bound to sentence them either to death or transportation for life (deportation) if found guilty.

The Nationwide Reaction: A Wave of Emotion and Patriotism

The news of the Red Fort trials spread like wildfire.
Across the country, people reacted with shock, anger, and pride.
To Indians, the INA soldiers were not traitors — they were patriots who had fought for India’s freedom.

Congress’s Role: From Opposition to Leadership of the Movement

• Jawaharlal Nehru, in his lawyer’s gown, hailed the INA men as national heroes.
  He declared that their trial was not a question of law, but of India’s honour.
• At its Bombay session (September 1945), the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) passed a resolution supporting the INA soldiers and demanding leniency.
• The Congress Working Committee set up an INA Defence Committee to legally and financially support the prisoners.

The committee included:

• Bhulabhai Desai
• M. Asaf Ali
• Tej Bahadur Sapru
• K.N. Katju
• Jawaharlal Nehru himself

This was not just a legal defence — it was a national movement of solidarity.

Congress also arranged relief funds, employment, and rehabilitation for released INA personnel.

The Mass Campaign for Their Release

The response of the Indian people was unprecedented.

Across the nation:

• Meetings, rallies, and demonstrations were organized to demand the release of the INA heroes.
• The trial began on 5 November 1945, and that day, shopkeepers shut down markets, students boycotted classes, and protests broke out in cities from Calcutta to Lahore.

A Rare Unity Across Ideologies and Religions

Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the INA movement was the unity it inspired:

• Every major organization — across political and religious lines — supported the cause:
  • Congress, Communist Party of India, Hindu Mahasabha, Muslim League, Akali Dal, Ahrar Party, Justice Party, Sikh League, Unionists, and even the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
• Students led marches and protests.
• Kisans (peasants) and women’s organizations passed resolutions.
• Diwali was not celebrated in several places as a mark of mourning and protest.
• Even government employees and members of the armed forces began expressing sympathy for the INA men.

Thus, the INA trials became not just a legal event — but a symbolic movement of national resurgence.

Outcome: Sentences and Their Remission

The trial concluded with the court finding Sahgal, Dhillon, and Shah Nawaz guilty — as expected under British law.
But by this time, the public sentiment was so strong that executing them would have created a national explosion.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, realized the gravity of the situation.
He decided to remit (cancel) the sentences and release all three officers.

They walked free — not as convicts, but as national heroes.

Historical Significance: Why the INA Trial Matters

Let’s understand why this episode was far more important than a simple military trial.

(a) Revival of National Unity

For the first time after the communal bitterness of the 1940s, Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs stood together for a common cause.
The three INA heroes symbolized the united face of Indian nationalism, cutting across religion and region.

(b) Political Awakening and Radicalization

The movement revived the patriotic spirit that had been subdued after the Quit India Movement.
Students, workers, soldiers — all began to feel that freedom was within reach.

(c) Influence on Armed Forces

The sympathy for INA men spread within the Royal Indian Navy, Air Force, and even the Army, leading to:

• Naval Ratings’ Revolt (1946) in Bombay
• Strikes in the Air Force and Signal Corps

This showed that even the pillars of British power in India — the armed forces — were no longer loyal.

(d) British Realization

The British government understood that its moral and military hold over India had collapsed.
The INA trial convinced them that they were ruling a country where even their own soldiers might rebel.

(e) Symbol of People’s Power

The release of the INA officers demonstrated that public opinion in India had become more powerful than British authority.
This psychological shift was crucial — the Indian people now believed that independence was inevitable.

The Broader Message

Though Subhas Chandra Bose himself was gone — his dream of uniting Indians for freedom lived on through this movement.
The INA trials transformed Bose’s military defeat into a moral and political victory for India.

It revealed to the world — and to the British — that the Indian people had outgrown fear.
They were united, awakened, and ready — the British Empire in India was now standing on borrowed time.