In which conspiracy case were three Englishmen detained on conspiracy charges?

Concept

Colonial-era conspiracy cases are distinguished by the accused persons, the alleged political activity, and the place and year of the proceedings.

To identify a case, match the biographical clue in the stem with the documented list of accused, then contrast it with cases involving different movements and defendants.

Application

The Meerut Conspiracy Case followed arrests made in March 1929. Historical accounts list three English defendants—Philip Spratt, Ben Bradley, and Lester Hutchinson—among the trade-union and communist activists prosecuted. This matches the clue in the question.

Cross-check and contrast

• Nasik Conspiracy Case: it centred on revolutionary activity connected with the 1909 assassination of Collector A. M. T. Jackson.

• Kanpur Bolshevik Conspiracy Case: the 1924 prosecution named Indian communist activists such as Muzaffar Ahmad, S. A. Dange, Shaukat Usmani, and Nalini Gupta.

• Meerut Conspiracy Case: the accused included the three Englishmen named above, so its documented accused list fits the clue.

• More than one of the above: the clue points to one documented prosecution rather than two or more of the named cases.

• None of the above: the documented Meerut accused list provides a named match among the choices.

Result

Therefore, the case was the Meerut Conspiracy Case.