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'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874' [199r] (402/502)
The record is made up of 1 volume (249 folios). It was created in 1 Nov 1873-14 Feb 1874. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
3
the proceedings of his trial, or to have questioned him before the Com
mission regarding the alleged offences for which he was said to have been
convicted. The omission to do so only tends to corroborate the petitioner's
statement that he was thrown into prison on a nominal charge, and detained
there pending the Maharaja's pleasure.
Although the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
admit that the petitioner was sentenced to im
prisonment for six months only, he was actually detained in prison for up
wards of nine months. His release was only obtained through the accidental
circumstance that his death was reported in one of the Bombay newspapers
at the very time that public attention was directed to the sudden death of
Bhao Sindia in prison. The petitioner was sent for by the Acting Resident,
Col. Shortt, and was then set at liberty, security having been taken from a
high
Sardar
Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
named Ibrahim Ali that the petitioner
British Government, and should have
Jamnabae.
The petitioner has solemnly stated before the Resident, and has repeated
before the Commission, that while in confinement his life was openly threa
tened by Hariba Gaekwar, who told him that both he and Bhao Sindia were
doomed men. The important and circumstantial evidence which has been
given by this petitioner regarding the circumstance attending the death of
the late Bhao Sindia, shows at any rate that the petitioner has good grounds
for believing that he would have shared the fate of Bhao Sindia but for the
accidental circumstance which produced his release.
The Resident would invite special attention to the explanation given
by the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
for the confiscation of the petitioner's Inam village of Ranoli,
viz., that the petitioner " belongs to the party unfavourable to the present
Maharaj, and being of no use to him, his services were dispensed with, and
his allowances and Inam village resumed." It is clear that a plea of this
sort if allowed would place the property of every Inamdar at the disposal of
the Maharaj.
The allegation of the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
that Bhao Sindia allowed the petitioner to
misappropriate Government property is unworthy of notice, as it is unsup
ported by evidence of any kind, and is obviously an after thought to explain
the confiscation of the petitioner's private property which the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
are
pleased to value at Rs. 27,000 only, though the petitioner has valued it at
Rs. 1,15,000.
Inasmuch as the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
has intentionally deprived the petitioner of his
private papers
Documents collected in a private capacity.
and of the means of proving the real value of the property
confiscated, it is probable that the value of the petitioner's property greatly
exceeds the amount stated by the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
, and in default of evidence to show
that the petitioner has greatly exaggerated his claim, the maxim of " Omnia
presumantuv contra spoliatorem" appears applicable to this case. The same
remark is applicable to the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
's allegation that the houses of which the
petitioner has been dispossessed, and which the petitioner values at Rs. 65,000,
are
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
property. The petitioner's title deeds having been seized by the
Durbar
A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family).
, he has been deprived of the legal means of establishing his claim.
It is submitted that this case affords a glaring instance of the most wanton
abuse of authority on the part of the present Maharaja. The petitioner was
one of the late Maharaja's chief favourities and followers; he was a man of
substance and respectability, and whatever else may be alleged against him, it
is clear that he was guilty of nothing which could justify the shameful treat
ment which he has received.
About this item
- Content
Report of the Baroda Enquiry Commission on the administration of the government of Malharrao, Gaekwar of Baroda. The Commission comprised Richard John Meade (President), Edward William Ravenscroft, Mumtazul Dowlah Nawab An honorific title; an official acting as a provincial deputy ruler in South Asia; or a significant Muslim landowner in nineteenth century India. Faiz Ali Khan, Colonel Alfred Thomas Etheridge and Thomas Duncan Mackenzie (Secretary).
The report comprises a letter from the members of the Baroda Enquiry Commission to the Secretary to the Government of India, Foreign Department presenting their report on the results of the proceedings and submitting copies of correspondence, reports and statements relative to the enquiry (ff 5-19):
Appendix A, Part I
- Schedules I-III: Complaints and grievances against the Gaekwar's Government from individuals and groups (ff 21-78).
- Appendix B, Schedules I-III: Cases of complaint and grievance which the commission did not look into during the enquiry (ff 79-81).
- Appendix C: Letter from Colonel Richard John Meade, President, Special Commission of Enquiry on Baroda Affairs, to Colonel Robert Phayre, Resident at Baroda, 1 November 1873 (ff 82-83).
- Appendix D: Translation of an amended notice issued by the Resident to complainants desirous of appearing before the Baroda Enquiry Commission (ff 84-85).
- Appendix E: Schedules presented to the Commission along with Colonel Phayre's introductory statement regarding them. (ff 86-131).
- Appendix F: Letter No. 1128 of 1873 from Colonel Phayre to the President, Baroda Commission regarding the cases already submitted to the Commission, the List of undisposed petitions to be attended to by the Resident which could be used as additional cases if required and the statements that he had yet to make on cases under enquiry by the Commission (ff 132-133).
- Appendix G, Schedule I: Statements from witnesses with cross examination statements from the Durbar A public or private audience held by a high-ranking British colonial representative (e.g. Viceroy, Governor-General, or member of the British royal family). on behalf of the Gaekwar and statements from the Resident as to the accuracy of the information provided (ff 134-229).
Appendix Part II (ff 231-245)
- Letter from James Braithwaite Peile, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kattywar [Kathiawar] to T D Mackenzie, Secretary, Baroda Commission, 13 December 1873 regarding papers requested by the Commission and informing them that the outstanding paper will be forwarded as soon as they are received. Enclosed with the letter are a memorandum from Peile for reconstitution of His Highness the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar, 13 December 1873 and Rule for the guidance of the Officers and Kamdars appointed to the Contingent of Horse of His Highness the Gaekwar, serving in the various Tributary Mahals according to treaty.
- Letter from Peile to Mackenzie, 6 January 1874, forwarding a report and returns received from Colonel Walker, Superintendent to the Gaekwar's Contingent in Kattywar and stating that he does not concur with the Colonel's opinion. Enclosed with this letter is a letter from Colonel Chamberlen William Walker, 30 December 1873, providing the information on the Contingent requested by the Commission and enclosing an extract of the Contingents annual report for 1871 and a statement of the men within the Contingent on duty under officials paid by Talukdars etc, 06 March 1872.
- Letters from John Whaley Watson, Acting Political Superintendent Pahlanpur [Palanpur], Captain Henry Nicholas Reeves, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. Rewa Kanta [Rewa Kantha] and Major Philip Harrison Le Geyt, Acting Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Mahi Kanta [Mahi Kantha] to the secretary of the Baroda Commission 19 December 1873 to 9 January 1874 reporting on the Gaekwar's contingents serving within their districts and commenting on numbers of men, pay and conditions. The letters all refer to enclosed returns, but only the return for Mahi Kanta is included in the report.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (249 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main sequence of foliation consists of a small pencil number in the top front right hand corner of each folio enclosed in a circle.
There is also an original sequence of foliation which consists of larger pencil numbers also in the top front right hand corner of folios, however the sequence is not consistent and some of the numbers may be filing references rather than foliation numbers.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F126/78
- Title
- 'Baroda Enquiry Commission Report, 1874'
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head, tail, front-i, 2r:248v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence