Administrative System of the Marathas c20.s13.20

c20.s13.20

It is needless to say that his ample authority gave the Kotwal ample opportunities for abusing it. The abuse of power reached its climax in the notorious Ghasiram, a Kanojia Brahman, who occupied the post of Kotwal at Poona during the administration of Nana Fadnavis. Much capital has been made out of his case by European writers. Grant Duff remarks, "No instance of greater neglect on the part of an administration, or of more extraordinary criminality in a subordinate officer, is recorded in the annals of any state than the case of Ghasiram, Kotwal, or Police Superintendent, of the city of Poona. This man, a Brahman native of Hindoostan, employed the power with which he was vested in perpetrating the most dreadful murders. People disappeared and no trace of them could be found. Ghasiram was suspected, but Nana Fadnavis refused to listen to complaints, apparently absurd from their unexampled atrocity." I do not think that Ghasiram's case reflects any discredit on the administration in general.