Fall of the Mughal Empire v3.c38.s8.34

v3.c38.s8.34

The faithless Abdul Ahad continued to ply his sole weapon of underground intrigue by setting Afrāsiyāb’s subordinates against him. Zain-ul-abidin, who was eager to avenge his brother's murder, sent five of his men to despatch Afrāsiyāb. They hid themselves in the Mir Bakhshi's office room (c. 10 April), but were detected and arrested. Afrāsiyāb believed that this plot had been inspired by Abdul Ahad. There was now an open breach between the two, and on 30th May Afrāsiyāb arrested Ahad,* attached all his property, and later sent him into captivity in Aligarh fort. The Emperor was powerless to save his friend, and henceforth became a mere tool in Afrāsiyāb’s hands, without a friend or independent counsellor at Court. Another result of this stroke was that Warren Hastings finally gave up his plan of setting up an English party in the Delhi Government, as he had no subservient great noble left there to serve his end.