New History of the Marathas v2.c31.22

v2.c31.22

Raghunathrao thus tried his best at Alegaon to make his position as secure as possible against future trouble from his nephew. He placed strict restraint upon Madhavrao’s person with a guard of 2,000 men to watch him. The activities of Gopikabai at Poona were similarly controlled by placing a strict guard at the Shaniwar palace where she resided. But this was not enough to make Raghunathrao’s position perfectly safe. He must have about him such persons for immediate duties as possessed unquestioned loyalty to him. Trimbakrao Pethe and Baburao Phadnis were removed from their offices. Sakharam Bapu was appointed the chief executive officer with a rich jagir for his expenses and the fort of Sinhagad for a secure residence. Nilkanthrao Purandare another partizan was similarly given the fort of Purandar. The Phadnis family were the hereditary pursers of the Peshwa’s house. They were deprived of that office and Chinto Vithal Rairikar, Raghunathrao’s confidential secretary, was made the Phadnis. Malharrao Holkar was given leave to return to his work at Wafgaon, but Raghunathrao particularly kept by his side Damaji Gaikwad for the expedition to Satara and Miraj, which he now planned to secure, in order to punish the Patwardhans and their partisans and control the Chhatrapati.