THE REBEL ADMINISTRATION OF DELHI 37 54. Ibid. 55. Press List of Mutiny Papers, Bundle No.539-40, No.57, NAI, New Delhi. Sen suggests that the Court was fomred in the second week of May. Eighteen Fifty Seven, p.75. Documentary evidence, however, suggests that the Court was established much later. See, Press List of Mutiny Papers, No.57 (Misc.), No.35, NAI, New Delhi. For a detailed discussion on Court's functions see Talmiz Khaldun (pseudonym of Sourin Roy?) "The Great Rebellion", ed. P.C. Joshi, Rebellion 1857-a Symposium, Delhi, 1957, pp.36-62. The author of this paper is, however, in disagreement with some of the conclusions drawn by Khaldun about the Courts' functioning. 56. Press List of Mutiny Papers, No.146, SN 16, NAI, New Delhi. Also see, Roznamcha, pp. 142-43. 57. Jiwan Lal writes (2 July) that the 'King said it was no use his giving orders, as they were not obeyed, and he had no one to enforce them...' Metcalfe, 134. 58. Ibid. 59. Metcalfe, pp.134-35; The Delhi Urdu Akhbar, 12 July 1857 reported that the King also granted a sum of Rs.4,000 to Bakht Khan for sweetmeats (shirini). 60. Metcalfe, p. 134. Spear says that the title of 'Lord Governor General' Sahib-i Alam Bahadur, was also cnferred on him. See, Spear, Twilight of the Mughals, p.213. 61. Ibid., pp.134-35. 62. The Dehli Urdu Akhbar, 12 July 1857. Jiwan Lal says that Bakht Khan informed the Kotwal of the city that 'if any plundering took place he would be hanged'. Metcalfe, p. 135. 63. The Dehli Urdu Akhbar, 12 July 1857. 64. Metcalfe, p. 135. Sadiq-ul Akhbar, dated 6 July 1857 reported that the appointment of Bakht Khan greatly increased the confidence of the peopel. The shopkeepers began to open their shops and there was no scarcity of provisions due to regular supply from outside the city. The city administration also became active. The Kotwal and thanadars took regular rounds of the city. 65. Metcalfe, p.144. 66. Ibid., pp. 149, 152. 67. Metcalfe, p. 152. Zakaullah says that Bakht Khan also offered five bighas of land to the descendants of soldiers who laid down their lives in fighting against the British. See, Tarikh-i Uruj-i Sultanat-i Englishia Hind (Urdu), Delhi 1904, p.682. Jiwan Lal elsewhere says that Bakht Khan had obtained King's assent that the wounded soldiers should receive pension as well as grant of land. See, Metcalfe, p.146. 68. Bakht Khan' s popularity is reflected from the fact that, Sadiqul Akhbar, 27 July 1857, gives a historical masnavi praising Bakht Khan. 69. Roznamcha, pp. 149-50. 70. Roznamcha, p. 150. On 25 August Baldeo Singh' s request for securing of the mahals of Delhi on farm with promises of regular supplies and payment to the imperial servants was rejected, Roznamcha, p.165. 71. The ban orders were vigorously enforced. See, the proclamations of Bahadur Shah and Bakht Khan reproduced in original in Rizvi, S.AA, Swatantra Dilli (Hindi), Appendices 1,2,3,5,6,7 and 8. Sen is doubtful about the implementation of the prohibition order. See, Eighteenth Fifty Seven, p.93, no.67. Also see Roznamcha, 153-54, for some details of the communal issue raised at the time.