INDIAN LETTER PLOT.

Colonist, Volume LX, Issue 14654, 7 March 1918, Page 7

INDIAN LETTER PLOT.

GiTiUAi/S ArJ-^AL .FOh.GKRAiAN

J.l^iJAiCi Ai.iJ'

i.ljw a, uu-imssed omeiai cf the Indian Government iitcenipcca u> enter imo communication witu u,z Ci-ov.u i-iLce of Germany and higi: officials _t Berlin, in:-older w invoke ti:e assistance of Germany in throwing, off British rule and obtaining Home Rule'for India under German aucpices, was disclosed at the preliminary hearing at Chihglepvit on the last day of October, reports of which appear in Indian newspapers just to hand.

C. S. Sitarama Iyer, formerly a revenue inspector, had been removed from the service, and the war gave him what he thought was an opportunity for revenge. He attempted, through various neutral Consuls in Bombay, to get into communication with Germany. He employed Service letter-papers, Service stauips, and paid such attention to the smallest details that it was only due to the merest accident—namely, that for «a few days the French Qonsul in Bombay was in charge of tho Spanish Consulate, and g^ve away the propaganda—that his work was ever detected. The accused endeavoured to send his letters to Germany through the four neutral Consuls in Bombay— namely, the Butch, Spanish, Swedish, and Swiss—and in each case he sent his communications with a covering letter to these officials. witb a request to forward them to Berlin through the official Consular postbags, and to obtativ replies which were to be. sent to -a: certain address me,nt'ioned. therein. Although he wrote under* the name o£ a fictitioxvs German missionary, Pax Muller, alleged to be interned, the replies wore to be received by him, and he did in fact, so he asserted, receive correspondence relating to the matter. ."The authorities in their evidence alleged that he forged the name of the Chief Secretary of the Government of Madras to induce tlie Consuls to forward the communications, and that he'•wrote on paper bearing the Government 'watermark. Tlie letters, guaranteed the support of the 400 Home Rule societies in' India, pointed out that the ports were undefended, offered armed assistancej and appealed both for money and weanons. One letter stated that he had received £1000 from Herr Zimmermanii, the then German Foreign Minister, and £1500 from the German Crown Prince through, the Sw^ss and Dutchi Consuls in Bon-bay. Other communications gave the ports at which troops could be Janded, and pointed out that there were lio British troops in India, only the wounded. Evidence also showed that the accused arranged to take over the replies which had been sent "to India to the fictitious German missionary.

The accused- was not defended, but stated that he-would reserve his crossexamination for- the sessions. v .