Enclosures of letter to Her Majesty's Secretary of State for India, No.11, dated 15 January 1875: Nos. 3 to 45 of Abstract of Contents, from the Officiating Under-Secretary to the Government of India, Fort William [‎72r] (41/100)

reluctance. Notwithstanding however this fact the Resident is inclined to
exonerate from suspicion the llaraal in question. He takes his turn with three
others to sweep the Resident's private room, and has no other connection
with it.
32. "With regard to the other Hamal, Govind Baloo, the case against him
appears to stand on a different footing. Of all the Ilamals employed at the
Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. , Govind Baloo is the only one who is employed daily in the Resi
dent's private room. It is his duty to clean the tables, arrange the dressing-
table, &c., and do in fact everything except sweep the room. The four other
Ilamals wiio are employed at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. take it by turns to sweep out the
Resident's private office room.
33. Baloo Govind admits that on the morning of Monday, November 9th,
he went to clean the Resident's room shortly after 0 a.m . ; that Abdoolla was
then there, but that he shortly afterwards left; that lie, Govind Baloo, left the
room shortly before 7 a.m . On pressing the deponent to state how he knew
the exact time when he left the Resident's room, he stated that he heard the
clock strike about five minutes after he left. When it is remembered that the
Resident returned from his exercise just at the time stated, the significance
of the answer is apparent, as it shows that Govind Baloo w r as the last person
who is known to have left the Resident's private room before the Resident's
return on the morning of Monday, November 9th, 187^.
34. Govind Baloo distinctly denied that (although he saw Abdoolla
in the room as usual, and fruit on the table) he saw any sherbet on the
table which it is his business to clean. Govind Baloo was much pressed
on this point, and after much prevarication and evident agitation of manner, he
finally stuck to his original assertion that he saw no sherbet on the table as
usual. It is noticeable, however, that on the first examination of Govind Baloo,
which took place on November 9th, he distinctly stated that Abdoolla brought
pummelo juice, but on being further pressed he denied it.
35. From the foregoing brief review of all the evidence which has been
recorded in the case, it will be seen that suspicion mainly attaches to—
1. Eaizoo Ramzan, Chobdar and table servant in the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. Estab
lishment.
2. Govind Baloo, Hamal.
36. The reasons for suspecting Faizoo Ramzan of complicity in the
crime of attempting to administer poison to the Resident may be thus summa
rized :—
1. Faizoo Ramzan is admittedly in the pay 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). .
2. He has been in the habit of holding most intimate relations with two
disreputable and suspicious persons, both of whom are confidential servants and
agents of His Highness Mulhar Rao Gaekwar.
3. He has been in the habit of receiving both these persons in his
quarters at the Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. without any just cause or excuse whatever.
4. He is himself a notorious intriguer, and lias, at least in Colonel Shortt's
time, been engaged in political intrigues with prominent members 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). .
5. His position as table servant has given him exceptional opportunities
for the commission of the crime.
6. He has behaved very suspiciously in trying to forestall the Resident's
private servants in waiting on him with tea, &c.
7. He has often made for the Resident pummelo sherbet, and admits that
he may have made it on the morning of Friday, November 6th, on w^hich day
also the Resident believes it to have been poisoned, as he suffered unaccount
ably after drinking it.
33 9