Beachcroft, Charles Porten

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(13.03.1871, Norwood, Surrey, England - 15.05.1927, Marylebone, Middlesex, England). A judge at case of terrorism. Sri Aurobindo was accused of participation at terroristic organisation. Beachcroft decided a case at Aurobindo’s favour, because of insufficiency of proof of his guilt.

Member of the Indian Civil Service. Beachcroft was a contemporary of Sri Aurobindo’s at Cambridge, attending Clare College while Sri Aurobindo attended King’s College. Both passed the “Open Competitive Examination for the Civil Service of India” held in 1890. Beachcroft joined the I.C.S. in 1892 and was posted in Bengal. He reached the grade of magistrate and district collector in 1904. Transferred to the judicial side, he became a district and sessions judge in 1905. It was in this capacity that he again met Sri Aurobindo, who was the chief accused in the Alipore Bomb Trial (1908-09). Beachcroft found several of the accused guilty, but acquitted Sri Aurobindo. Subsequently, he was appointed to the Calcutta High Court Bench as officiating judge in 1912, temporary additional judge in 1914, and finally a permanent member in 1915. He retired in 1921, and was knighted the next year.

Mentioned: {A & R.12.1982} 228-29 {SABCL 2} 79, 288 {SABCL 4} 285 {SABCL 26} 52 {A & R.04.1985} 73

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