Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30, 1948, remains one of the most shocking criminal cases in independent India’s history. The trial, concluding on February 10, 1949, exposed serious failures by the police to prevent the assassination, despite having critical intelligence and warnings about the plot. The case highlights the lack of effective action, which led to the tragic death of the Father of the Nation.
NEW DELHI : Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination on January 30, 1948, remains one of the most shocking criminal cases in independent India’s history. The trial, concluding on February 10, 1949, exposed serious failures by the police to prevent the assassination, despite having critical intelligence and warnings about the plot. The case highlights the lack of effective action, which led to the tragic death of the Father of the Nation.
“He had taken just six or seven steps when a man, later identified as Narayan Vinayak Godse from Poona, approached and fired three shots from a pistol at the Mahatma from a distance of just 2 or 3 feet. The bullets struck Gandhi in his stomach and chest, causing blood to flow. Mahatma ji fell backward, chanting ‘Raam – Raam.’ The attacker was immediately apprehended with the weapon.”
– Nand Lal Mehta, F.I.R. filed in the Gandhi murder case
The First Assassination Attempt: A Failed Plot
The conspirators, including Nathuram Godse, Narayan Apte, and others, initially attempted to kill Gandhi on January 20, 1948, at Birla House in Delhi. The plan involved creating a diversion with an explosion, while another conspirator would shoot Gandhi.
Madanlal K. Pahwa, a Punjabi refugee, triggered the explosion, but he was quickly apprehended by the public. Digambar R. Badge, who was supposed to shoot Gandhi, hesitated and failed to follow through with the plan.
Intelligence Warnings Ignored: A Missed Opportunity
Despite receiving intelligence about the assassination plot, including a report from J.C. Jain, a professor from Ruia College in Bombay, the authorities failed to take preventive measures. Jain had informed Premier B.G. Kher and the Home Minister about the threat, but his warnings were not acted upon.
Jain later revealed that Pahwa had spoken about the conspiracy, and he named Vishnu R. Karkare as one of the conspirators. The Home Minister immediately directed the Intelligence Branch to investigate Karkare, but again, no effective action was taken.
Court’s Strong Criticism of Police Failure
The trial judge criticized the police for not acting on the intelligence they had received. He stated,
“The police miserably failed to derive any advantage from these two statements. Had the slightest keenness been shown in the investigation of the case at that stage, the tragedy probably could have been averted.”
Despite the failure of the first assassination attempt, the conspirators continued their plans, and Gandhi was assassinated just ten days later.
Godse and Apte’s Air India Travel: Evidence of Conspiracy
The prosecution presented evidence showing that Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte had traveled from Bombay to Delhi using Air India flights for both the failed and successful attempts. They used false names to book tickets, but authorities uncovered the fraudulent details. Apte’s claim that he had purchased the tickets from another passenger was dismissed by the court, as the reservation slips listed their address as “Room No. 6, Sea Green Hotel,” where both Apte and Godse had been staying.
Godse’s Confession: Details of the Assassination
During the trial, Godse admitted to shooting Gandhi, stating:
“Yes, it is a fact that I did fire shots at Mahatma Gandhi with the pistol (Exhibit 39). The story as told by the various eyewitnesses up to the stage when Mahatma Gandhi stepped up the prayer ground is correct. I jumped out and came in front of Mahatma Gandhi. My idea was to shoot at him twice at point-blank range so that none else might get injured.”
He further recalled,
“I bowed to him with the pistol between my two palms. I had removed the safety catch when I had taken out the pistol from inside my bush coat pocket. I think I fired twice. I, however, learnt that I had fired thrice. After I had fired the shots, there was a lull throughout for about a minute. I had also got excited. I then shouted ‘Police, police. Come.’ Amarnath then came and caught hold of me from behind.”
Godse described the violent aftermath, stating:
“A gentleman struck me on the back of my head with his stick. When he had given me two to three blows with his stick, then blood began coming out of my head.”
He added,
“I told him that I was not going to offer resistance even if he happened to break my skull. I had already done what I wanted to do.”
While Godse claimed the murder was an individual act, the court dismissed his defense, pointing to overwhelming evidence of a wider conspiracy.
Savarkar Acquitted Due to Lack of Evidence
Among those charged in the case were Nathuram Godse, Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Madanlal Pahwa, Shankar Kistayya, Gopal Godse, Vinayak D. Savarkar, and Dattatraya Parchure. However, Vinayak D. Savarkar was acquitted due to lack of evidence linking him to the conspiracy.
The judge ruled:
“It would thus be unsafe to base any conclusions on the approver’s story given above as against Vinayak D. Savarkar… He is found not guilty of the offences as specified in the charge and is acquitted and be released forthwith unless required otherwise.”
Special Judge Atma Charan criticized the lack of urgency in the investigation, pointing out that the police had been informed of the conspiracy after the January 20 attempt but had failed to take adequate steps to protect Gandhi. This failure allowed the conspirators to carry out their mission successfully on January 30, 1948.
The trial exposed significant lapses in law enforcement, which ultimately failed to prevent the tragic death of Mahatma Gandhi. The conviction of the key conspirators marked an important moment in history, but it also served as a reminder of the dangers of inaction in the face of clear intelligence.
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