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" RECALLING JINNAH AND TILAK TRIALS RECALLING JINNAH AND TILAK TRIALS   By   Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, Senior Advocate   Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak has been described as the Hercules and Prometheus of modern India. Gandhi had once compared him with the ocean. In 1897 Tilak was prosecuted for sedition.   An application for bail was moved by his counsel Dinshaw Davar which was granted by Mr. Justice Tyabji. The trial began before Mr. Justice Stretchy and a special jury. The jury was divided in their opinion; the European jurors gave a verdict of guilty while the three Indian jurors held the accused not guilty. Tilak was sentenced to 18 months' rigorous imprisonment.   In 1908 Tilak was prosecuted again under sections 124‑A and 153‑A for certain articles in Kesari in connection with the bomb thrown by terrorists in Bengal. When the case was committed to the Sessions, a bail application was preferred to the High Court on his behalf. The case came before Mr. Justice Davar, who was Tilak's counsel in an earlier sedition case. It may also be mentioned that in this very case, when the matter was at the stage of enquiry before the Chief Presidency Magistrate, J.D. Davar, son of Mr. Justice Davar, was one of the counsel of Tilak.   The High Court procedure required that the party applying for bail must give clear forty‑eight hours' notice to Government. Tilak's solicitors accordingly gave intimation that they intended to move the Sessions Judge on the point of bail. It was somewhat late in the afternoon of June, 29 when the intimation was given. When, on July 1, 1908, Mr. Jinnah appearing for Tilak sought to be heard, he was confronted with the objection that the forty‑eight hours were yet to run. Mr. Justice Davar…