Historical Figures

11. Vallabhbhai saved innocent railway inspector from going to jail

Vallabhbhai Patel was practicing in the court of Borsad where he was regularly faced with false cases. A railway inspector had a clash with a British officer in some case. The railway officer implicated that inspector in a false case of theft. The officer also prepared false witnesses in his favor.

The inspector made Vallabhbhai his lawyer. When Vallabhbhai studied the case, he understood that the evil British officer had made such a strong trap that Vallabhbhai would not be able to save his client from being punished in the court. Therefore Vallabhbhai prepared a new weapon of lies to cut the web of lies.

Vallabhbhai told his client that on the day he is to appear in the court, he should admit to his English officer outside the court that I have made a mistake, forgive me. I have been convicted in a theft case in the past as well. See this decision of the court. The Railway Inspector did the same.

On this the British officer said that okay, I will forgive you but can you give this paper to me? On this the inspector said that if you can forgive me by taking this paper, then you keep it but do forgive me. The British officer was overjoyed that the foolish inspector had himself handed over the goods of his death to his enemy. When the hearing was held in the court, the English officer's lawyer placed the same paper before the magistrate and said- 'This man is a habitual thief, he has been convicted before, see this proof.'

When the magistrate asked the inspector about this paper, the inspector said that my lawyer will answer it. Vallabhbhai read that paper in his hand and said- 'In this document thirty years ago from today my client has been written about being punished for the crime of theft, but my client's age is also thirty years in total.

So was he punished for the crime of theft as soon as he was born? It is clear that just as the plaintiff has fabricated a forged document of theft of thirty years ago, so the charge of this new theft has also been completely fabricated. The innocent inspector was acquitted of the charge.

This practice was not common during the British rule, but the lawyer community used to show such miracles in the courts when required.