Mughal Administration c8.s6.11

c8.s6.11

The news-letters were sent to an officer of the Court named the Dārogha of Dāk Chauki, i.e., Superintendent of Posts and Intelligence, who handed them unopened to the wazir for submission to the Emperor. These four classes of public intelligencers acted under the orders of this Dārogha who was their official superior and protector. Sometimes an irate governor would publicly insult or beat the local news-writer for a report against himself, and then the Dārogha would take up the cause of his subordinate and get the offending governor punished. The head of the Intelligence Department enjoyed great influence and trust in the reign of Aurangzib, who used to regard the spies as his eyes and ears. Amusing examples of it are given in Hamid-ud-din’s Āhkām-i-Alamgiri, translated into English by me as Anecdotes of Aurangzib, § § 61, 62, 64 and 65.