History of the Qaraunah Turks in India c12.143

c12.143

The Penal law was barbarous. No offender however high his position, could escape his wrath. Neither learning nor piety, nor birth was a claim to immunity from punishments which he inflicted for breaches of law or opposition to his own authority.⁴⁶ The Qurānic law was not always followed and the Sultan was guided mainly by considerations of policy. Murder, decapitation, and death were the usual penalties, and sometimes the subordinate officers extorted confessions from the accused persons by force as happened in the case of the two Sindhi Maulvis.⁴⁷ Torture was employed, and from such victims certificates were obtained to the effect that their confession was voluntary and the officers of the state went through the farce of getting them attested by the Qazi.⁴⁸