1 SALT REVENUE DEPARTMENT FOR THE OFFICIAL YEAR 1898-99,
2 with Bombay along the border. Extensive tracts of country
3 in this area are of a saline character, and over these the con-
4 sumption of salt paying duty is naturally less than it is in
5 areas devoid of salinity.
6 54. The number of persons arrested for offences against
7 the salt law, the number discharged by the Department after
8 inquiry, and the number prosecuted, with the result of
9 prosecutions, will be found fully detailed in Appendix VII.
10 The following is an abstract of the figures for the past twg
11 years :—
12 Released
13 by the De-
14 partment.
15 Percentage
16 Acquitted. | Convicted. | of convic-
17 : tions.
18 Number
19 Sent up
20 sirrested,
21 for trial,
22 1897-98 ... 517 97:00
23 1898-99 ... ane 539 95°91
24 Difference ... —298 | $22 —1-09
25 * Six persons absconded before trial.
26 + Two persons absconded before trial and one case pending.
27 _ Of the number of persons arrested during the year, 57-26
28 per cent. were released by the Department after inquiry into
29 the charges against them, and 42°74 per cent. were prosecuted.
30 In consequence of the abolition of the Indus Preventive
31 Line, there was a marked and satisfactory decrease in the
32 number of persons charged with offences in the cis-Indus
33 Mines Division during the year. Only 25 persons were arrested
34 compared with 268 persons in 1897-98; 21 persons were re-
35 leased departmentally, and only 4 were prosecuted and punished.
36 The cases were trivial, except one in which an attempt was
37 made during the night to remove more than three maunds of
38 rock salt from one of the quarries at Kalabagh.
39 In the Kohat Mines Division, 54 cases of salt smuggling
40 occurred, compared with 70 during 1897-98 ; 26 persons were
41 released departmentally, 28 were prosecuted, and 16 were
42 punished. Four smugglers were wounded, of whom one died.
43 Towards Bahadur Khel and along the Waziri border, the use
44 of fire-arms by the preventive establishment is a necessity,
45 as raids are made by armed parties of trans-border tribesmen.
46 In one instance during the year, a salt post was attacked and
47 an attempt was made to effect an entrance into the tower by
48 a body of armed Waziris, who used fire-arms freely.
49 There were 24 cases of theft of salt at the Sdmbhar lake,
50 compared with 16 in 1897-98, and the persons concerned were
51 all punished. Four cases in which attempts were made to
52 remove salt in quantities from one maund to more than 10
53 maunds were of some importance.
54 In the Pachbadra Division (including the Luni salt tract),
55 there was a large increase in the number of thefts of salt,
56 19 cases having occurred during the year, compared with 6
57 in 1897-98. Twenty-two persons were released departmentally,
58 and 44 were prosecuted and punished. At the Pachbadra
59 Source there were six cases of theft, in three of which the
60 _ quantities of salt removed were considerable. Professional Bhil
61 thieves were concerned in one casein which an attempt was
62 made toremove 42 maunds. At the Luni Salt Tract there
63 ( 4 )
64 PENAL ACTION OF
65 THE DEPARTMENT.