Ahmadis and the Aryas of Qadian — Page 34
34 Ali was not present at the court but his relative, a Chief Clerk, by the name of Mithra Das was present, who is still alive. I asked him whether our case had been dismissed? He replied that it had not, rather a decree had been passed [in our favour]. I said that fifteen or sixteen men from Qadian, who were opposed and were the witnesses of the defend - ant, had all mentioned that the case had been thrown out. He replied that, in a way, they too had not lied. What had transpired was that I was not present when the Revenue Officer had passed judgment; I had gone out in pursuit of some task, or perhaps he said that, I had gone to the privy and the Revenue Officer was new and was not aware of the cases in depth. The defendant, at the time when a decision was about to be made, presented a verdict of the Commissioner in which the Commissioner had ordered that since these were inherited lands therefore, they were entitled to cut down the trees from their lands as needed; the owner had no say in the matter. The Revenue Officer had dismissed this case upon seeing this decision and when I arrived, gave me his written verdict to be recorded in the case files. After having read it I said that those landlords have deceived you; the decision they presented before you has been overturned by instruction of the Financial Officer and as a result of such instruction, whether it be inherited