N-39. Nidhan Singh, son of Hira Singh, Jat, of Mahesri, P. S. Moga, District Ferozepore. He was prosecuted under Section 302 I. P. C. and on acquittal emigrated to America in 1910. He is a friend of Arjan Singh of Khokrana, and was reported to be violent and dangerous. Early in 1917, in the split between the late Ram Chandra of Peshawar and Bhagwan Singh of village Viring, district Amritsar (then important leaders of the Ghadr Party), he joined the latter's faction and throughout that year took a prominent part in promoting the interests of the Ghadr Party. In July of that year he was indicted in the Germany conspiracy to send a military expedition to India, and after detention for a short time came out on bail in January 1918 and was appointed to succeed Santokh Singh (since dead) of village Dodher, district Amritsar, as Editor of the Gurmukhi version of the "Ghadr". He was sentenced to 4 months' imprisonment in the German-Hindu Conspiracy Case in May 1918 and returned to Oakland jail to complete the sentence. After his release he endavoured to win over the Sikh Temple for the Ghadr Party. He was closely associated with Tarak Nath Das (one ofthe leading figures in the revolutionary party on the West Coast of America just before and during the Great War) and other prominent members of the party, and was in continuous correspondence with the leaders who were then in jail. In 1919 he was busy at the Ashram, and in conjunction with other leaders of the Party was putting forth his efforts for the financial rejuvenation of the party. Early in 1920 he joined Tarak Nath Das on a tour ofthe Indian camps of Central California. His activities for some time after that are not known, but he was elected to the local Ghadr Committee of Marysville on 20th February 1930. In June 1930 he wrote a letter to the "Akali-te-Pardesi", Amritsar, from P. O. Box 895 San Francisco, California, and another to Santa Singh (S-18), Manager of the Kirti, from Rt. 6, Box 345, Fresno, California. In 1930 he became the Secretary ofthe Ghadr Party, and the President of the Secret Board of the Party, and was working in the Ashram in San Francisco. In February 1931 he was smuggled across the Canadian border to discuss matters with Gurdit Singh of Bilga, district Jullundur (G-48), and other Ghadr Party sympathisers with regard to the attitude ofthe Ghadr Party towards Mr. Gandhi and Kartar Singh's (K-30) visit to California. In March 1931 he was reported to have been elected Treasurer of a newly formed branch of the Ghadr Party in Los Angeles (Southern California). Early in June 1931 he was arrested by the U. S. Immigration authorities, but was released on bail. He is said to have been found in possession of documents which indicated him to be a communist, whereupon the U. S. authorities took up the question of his deportation. About the end of 1931 the question was abandoned. In 1931 and 1932 he was the President ofthe Ghadr Party. In May 1932 he wrote a letter to Naurang Singh of Ghall Kalan, district Ferozepore (N-37), about the progress of the Kirti Kisan work, and in the same month was collecting subscriptions outside San Francisco in the company of Joga Singh (J-31, Secretary of the Party, and was expecting Teja Singh (T-8), to visit them in San Francisco. He attended a Ghadr meeting in Sacramento on the 7th August 1932 at which Achhar Singh Sheena (A-7) took the chair. He is still in California and one ofthe most active ofthe Ghadr Party leaders. He is a very forceful speaker and regularly attends meetings of the Party at various centres. Has been corresponding and sending Ghadr literature to Naurang Singh, of Ghall Kalan, a prominent Kirti Kisan worker. Owns landed property at his village.

Description : Sallow complexion; height 5'-9"; stout build; age about 40/ 50 years; sharp features.