Hans Raj Vohra

Hans Raj Vohra (1909 – 13 September 1985) was an approver for British in HSRA, providing testimony for the British that identified his associates in return for his own freedom. In May 1930, his statement against Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru, in the Lahore Conspiracy Case trial, became "crucial" in leading to passing of their death sentence.

After the trial, Vohra pursued a career in journalism, first in London, and then subsequently in Lahore and later in Washington. Before he died, he addressed a letter to Sukhdev's brother, explaining why he testified against his comrades.

Early life and education Hans Raj Vohra was born in 1909. His father was Guranditta Mal, a professor of mathematics at Lahore's Central Training College.

Against the wishes of his father, Vohra became a trusted colleague and follower of the leading revolutionaries, Sukhdev Thapar and Bhagat Singh. He was subsequently inducted into the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army and became a revolutionary organiser, primarily arranging the distribution of leaflets and literature in Punjab Province in the 1920s. and a member of the Lahore Student's Union, he became active in the student movement, recruiting to the Naujawan Bharat Sabha.

Lahore conspiracy case Bhagat Singh's execution as reported in The Tribune of Lahore. Vohra came to be in police custody for 17 days following his arrest on 17 December 1928, the same day as the murder of John Saunders, the Assistant Superintendent mistaken for James Scott. Bhagat Singh was later arrested on 8 April 1929 after he was found bombing the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Although not directly involved with the bombing, Vohra, then working in the offices of Bande Mataram , knew of its details through Sukhdev, and after his second arrest in May 1929, closed his testimony and "tendered pardon, the conditions of which I accepted". In May 1930, he gave evidence in the trial which gave its judgement on 7 October 1930, sentencing "Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru to death by hanging".

It was not until the 1980s that Vohra made an attempt to explain why he did not divulge his colleagues details during the first arrest but disclosed all at the second arrest in 1929 after he had been informed that his mentor Sukhdev had already given away all their secrets. Vohra claimed in the letter that he felt let down and decided "I could not risk going down with people I no longer respected".

Two other significant approvers were Phonindra Nath Ghosh, whose testimony revolved mainly around the establishment of the Hindustan Socialist Party and Jai Gopal who focused on the murder of Saunders, while it was Vohra's testimony which concentrated on Bhagat Singh's activities. and was the correspondent of the Civil and Military Gazette of Lahore until 1948. In 1958, he transferred to Washington, corresponded using the name "Hans R. Vohra" and became the Washington correspondent of The Times of India.

He remained a correspondent and never made it to editor.

He retired in 1969, but continued to work freelance.

Death He spent the last few years of life in social isolation. In 1981, before he died, he addressed a letter to Sukhdev's brother, explaining why he testified and expressed the wish to be forgotten:

Selected publications "India's Nuclear Policy of Three Negatives", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 26, Issue 4 (1970) pp. 25–27. "A Letter From Washington: Ministry of Science—U.S. Style", Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 27, Issue 1 (1971), pp. 29–33.