Digambar Badge

A group photo of people accused in the Mahatma Gandhi's murder case. Standing: Shankar Kistaiya, Gopal Godse, Madanlal Pahwa, Digambar Badge. Sitting: Narayan Apte, Vinayak D. Savarkar, Nathuram Godse, Vishnu Karkare

Digambar Badge was an Indian Hindu (though the name "Digambar" sounds more Jain) political activist. A member of the Hindu Mahasabha, he was a member of the group that plotted to assassinate Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. At the trial of Gandhi's assassins in 1948 and 1949, Badge turned approver and deposed as a prime prosecution witness. It was based on his complete confession of his involvement in the conspiracy that the entire case was solved by the police.

Savarkar, who had a track record of complicity in at least two murders, was acquitted of the charge of conspiracy to Gandhi's murder only because he turned approver. Badge's evidence lacked independent corroboration, a common flaw in conspiracy cases. Nevertheless, Judge Atma Charan accepted Badge as a truthful witness. "He gave his version of the facts in a direct and straight-forward manner. He did not evade cross-examination or attempt to evade or fence with any question"[1]

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