He stood trial for waging war against the Crown — then retreated to become the sage of Pondicherry
Sri Aurobindo, later known as the philosopher-sage of Pondicherry, was first a leading Indian nationalist. In 1908 he was arrested in the Alipore Bomb Case and tried for waging war against the Crown; after a year in Alipore Jail he was acquitted on 6 May 1909, and only afterward withdrew into the contemplative life for which he became known.
How we know
Arrested 2 May 1908; acquitted 6 May 1909 by Judge Charles Porten Beachcroft (Wikipedia "Emperor v. Aurobindo Ghosh and Others"; motherandsriaurobindo.in; livehistoryindia.com). Aurobindo b. 1872. Full year in Alipore Jail confirmed: motherandsriaurobindo.in biography chapter title "The Alipore Bomb Case, One Year in Jail 1908–1909". NOTE: charge was "waging war against the King" (Section 121 IPC), not verbatim "British Empire." Title revised: Aurobindo began yoga practice in 1904 and had his major Brahman realization under Vishnu Bhaskar Lele in January 1908, four months before arrest — "before he was a yogi" is chronologically wrong.
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