The correct option is Justice C.N. Broomfield.
Explanation
Following the Chauri Chaura incident in February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi suspended the Non-Cooperation Movement. Shortly thereafter, he was arrested on charges of sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code for writing three articles in his weekly journal, Young India.
The "Great Trial" of 1922:
- The trial took place in Ahmedabad on March 18, 1922.
- The presiding judge was Mr. Justice C.N. Broomfield, the District and Sessions Judge of Ahmedabad.
- During the judgment, Justice Broomfield acknowledged Gandhi's high status in the eyes of millions of his countrymen. He famously remarked: "The law is no respecter of persons. Nevertheless, it will be impossible to ignore the fact that you are in a different category from any person I have ever tried or am likely to try."
- Gandhi pleaded guilty to the charges. Justice Broomfield sentenced him to six years of imprisonment, citing the precedent of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, who was sentenced under similar charges in 1908.
Analysis of Other Options:
- Justice Sidney Rowlatt: Presided over the Sedition Committee (1918) which led to the enactment of the Rowlatt Act (1919). He was not involved in Gandhi's 1922 trial.
- Lord Reading: He was the Viceroy of India (1921-1926) during the time of the trial, but he did not preside over the court proceedings personally.
- Sir Stafford Cripps: A British politician known for the Cripps Mission (1942), which occurred much later during World War II.
Key Takeaway:
Justice C.N. Broomfield presided over Mahatma Gandhi's historic trial in 1922 (Ahmedabad) following the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement and sentenced him to six years in prison.