Mota Singh, Master, son of Gopal Singh, of Patara, P. S. Sadr, District Jullundur. Passed the Intermediate and Giani Examinations of the Punjab University. Has a good knowledge of several Oriental languages. Served as Headmaster in the Khalsa School at Mahilpur, and the State School at Bhasaur, in the Patiala State. Worked for some time on the staff of the "Khalsa Akhbar". During the political disturbances of April 1919, Mota Singh delivered a highly seditious speech in the Badshahi Mosque, Lahore, which led the mob to attack a C. I. D. officer on duty. He was arrested and convicted in the Lahore Leaders’ Case and sentenced to transportation for life. The sentence was afterwards reduced to one year's rigorous imprisonment and remitted under the Royal Amnesty, in January 1920. After his release he lived quietly for some time in the Jind State. Again, came to prominence in August 1920 as a violent lecturer. Took an active part in the meetings of the Sikh League and toured the Jullundur and Ludhiana districts, preaching the doctrine of non-co-operation, and inciting the laborers not to pay land revenue, or enlist in the Police or the Army. Was ordered in November 1920 to be prosecuted under Sections 124-A and 153-A, I. P. C. for a particularly violent speech delivered at Jullundur in October. Mota Singh, however, absconded, but reappeared at intervals to deliver inflammatory speeches and defy arrest. Became a staunch Akali and a member of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee. Remained mostly in the Doaba and gained considerable influence among the Sikh emigrants who had returned from America. Was believed to be one of the instigators of the conspiracy to paralyze the Government by violence, which resulted in the Akali 1 Conspiracy Case of 1921. In April 1921 he was declared a proclaimed offender and a reward of Rs. 3,000 was offered for his arrest. About June 1921 he visited Kabul, where he associated with Bolshevik agents and became imbued with Communist doctrines. Re-appeared in the Punjab about the end of 1921 and spoke at various Diwans, and was eventually arrested at his village in June 1922 and in August was sentenced to a consolidated sentence of eight years' transportation, for various offences committed by him. When in jail at Rawalpindi he attempted to communicate with his former associates and was consequently transferred to the Nagpur jail in January 1923, from where he again succeeded in communicating with his friends in the Punjab. He was thereupon removed to the Bassein jail, Burma, in June 1924. Shortly before his arrest Mota Singh received £300 in Bank of England notes which were subsequently found to have been supplied by Bolshevik sources in Kabul for communist propaganda. Prior to his release, he was transferred to the Jullundur Jail from where he was released on 23rd June 1929. Soon after his release he was presented with an address by the local Congress Committee and the Akali Dal and a Kirpan by the Akali Jatha. In reply he expressed his determination to work for the emancipation of India and added that he was against violence, but if the policy of non-violence failed, he would urge the people to resort to violence, but personally he had no faith in non-violence. In Pursuance of his program, he made an extensive tour of the Punjab in July 1929 and in that month was elected President of the Naujawan Bharat Sabha Conference which was to be held at Amritsar about that time. He was, however, arrested on 23rd July 1929 under Section 124-A, I. P. C., was duly convicted and sentenced to 7 years' transportation on two counts, the sentences to run concurrently. On appeal to the High Court the sentence was reduced to 2 years' rigorous imprisonment. Was released from the Multan Jail on 20th July 1931. Was appointed editor of the "Desh Sewak" at a meeting of the Doaba American Canadian Press Society held on 15th August 1931. Soon after he identified himself with every form of anti-Government propaganda and made virulent speeches at various political conferences, in which he openly advocated mass revolution and the destruction of the present system of Government by violence. As he was particularly desirous of establishing a network of Kirti Kisan organizations in the Punjab with the ultimate object of starting a movement on the lines adopted by the Babbar Akalis his arrest for the second time was inevitable and this took place on 25th November 1931. He was convicted under Section 124-A, I. P. C., for a speech made at Jhang and was sentenced to 2’A years' rigorous imprisonment on 7th January 1932. For his services in the cause of the freedom of India he was presented with a gold medal and a sum of Rs. 500 by the Khalsa Diwan Society, Vancouver, and another gold medal and a sum of Rs. 100 were sent by the Sikhs in Singapore to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandak Committee, Amritsar, for presentation to Mota Singh on his release from jail. He is probably the most dangerous Sikh revolutionary in the Punjab. Is extremely fanatical and anti-British.

Description : Age about 60 years; height 5'-7"; wheat complexion; grey beard and moustache; thin nose; stout build; wears black khaddar turban, and is generally naked below the knees.