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3.—Banamull versus Saiyid Muhammad Baker.
488. On the 28th June 1882, Banamull, a Multani residing in Bandar
Abbas, wrote to the Resident that he had a claim for 400 tomans, according to
a bond in Ins possession, against Saiyid Muhammad Baker who was then in
Shiraz. The British Agent in Shiraz was instructed, 7th July, to represent this
claim to the Shiraz authorities and press for a settlement.
489. Banamull aeain petitioned the Resident, 26th September, on the
subject, but stated his claim was only for 200 tomans, as 200 tomans of the
original bond had been previously paid. Copy of this petition was sent to the
British Agent, Shiraz, in reference, with instructions to press for an early settle­
ment and to report the result.
The Shiraz Agent replied on the 23rd October that Saiyid Muhammad had
been for some time a prisoner in the house of the Begler Begee, and arrange­
ments were being made for payment of his debts, but that he had lately escaped
and taken sanctuary in the Musjid-i-Now, and that the authorities declared
nothing could be done towards a settlement of his claims until he came out of
sanctuary. The Shiraz Agent was instructed, 30th October, to continue to press
the case.
490. On 20th November Shiraz Agent replied that the Sahib Dewan stated
that Saiyid Muhammad was also indebted to Persian subjects, and that a little
patience was necessary; that after the . 13th Moharram (25th November) the
debtor would be induced to leave the sanctuary when arrangements would be
made for the recovery of the Persian claims, when Banamull’s claim would also
be duly recovered.
491. The Shiraz Agent now forwarded copy of a letter from the Sahib Dewan,
dated 7th January 1883, in which he stated that the debtor has escaped, and that
he had not a u Dinar’s ” worth of property.

(lxxiv) Conversion to Islam of a Hindu Fakir at Bandar Abbas, 1885.
492. In February 1885 a Hindu dervish named Motiram absconded from the
Hindu quarters at Bandar Abbas and it
External A.. May 1885, Nos. 107.132.
was alleged that he had stolen several arti­
cles of jewelry and some cash. A complaint was made by the Baniahs to the
Foreign Office Agent at Bandar Abbas, who referred the matter to Mirza
Nasrullah, who was apparently acting for the Deputy Governor Mirza Muhammad
Hasan Khan. The Baniahs insisted on the latter to have a search made for the
missing man and to produce him. But there was much delay, and when the man
made his appearance it was found that he had been circumcised and declared
himself a Muhammadan.
493* There was considerable excitement among the Hindus, who closed
their shops to show their indignation and made loud complaints against the pro­
ceedings of Mirza Nasrullah Khan.
494. The Resident caused the convert to be brought to Bushire to be tried.
The Hindus accused the man of having stolen money and valuables from their
temple with the connivance of the locum teticns of the Deputy Governor and the
Daragha named Cumbar. There was no sufficient proof of the alleged crime to
convict the accused according to British law, but there were, in the opinion of
the Resident, strong grounds for suspicion.
495. As regards the act of conversion the Resident thought that the local
authorities had acted with indecent haste and improper secrecy. The convert,
however, alleged that he was moved by religious zeal only.
496. The Deputy Governor Mirza Muhammad Khan promised to remove
his man Nasrullah and deposed the Darogha and concurred with the Resident
that the convert should not be allowed to return to Bandar Abbas.
497. Soon after Muhammad Hassan Khan resigned his posts of Deputy
Governor of Bandar Abbas and Lingah and Customs Commissioner and was
succeeded by Muhammad Hussain Mirza.
S640FD