अमर शहीद अशफ़ाक़उल्ला ख़ाँ: व्यक्तित्व और कृतित्व (काकोरी के अमर शहीद का जीवन व रचनाएँ)

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district magistrate were Shahan Shah Khan and his brother
Ashfaqullah Khan. The date was the 18th of the month of Muhar-
ram (8th August). Muhammad Ishaq, a vakil whose appearance (O. P. 158.)
hardly supported his statement that he made as much as Rs. 400
a month, stated that he attended the funeral ceremony of the
grandmother of the last witness. As regards the date he said
"I don't remember the date. It was after the Muharram. I am
not sure but I think it was the 7th or 8th day after the Muharram
(i. e. 7th or 8th August). He had come to the office of the
10 district magistrate to request his permission to appear late in court
on account of the funeral. He was there about 10 a. m. and saw
both Shahan Shah Khan and Ashfaqullah coming out of the district
magistrate's office. Questioned as to how he remembered the date
he said: "On seeing the accused in court I remembered that I had
seen him about eight days after the Muharram". He was unable
to give any information about the cases in which he had to appear
that day before the district magistrate. The evidence of none of
these witnesses inspired confidence, especially as regards the date.
It is possible, indeed likely, that they saw Ashfaqullah on one or
20 more of his visits to the Bhopal State, but I cannot accept their
evidence as proving that they saw him there on the 7th, 8th or
9th August 1925.
111. A number of witnesses have been called by the defence
[Side note: Alleged antagonism between Ashfaqullah and Ram Prasad.] to prove that Ashfaqullah and Ram Prasad
were on opposite sides during the Shahjahanpur
riots of 1924, the suggestion being that men
who were opposed to each other during
these communal riots could not possibly have been, either at the
time or afterwards, closely connected in a revolutionary conspiracy.
30 Raza Ali Khan, a vakil (D. W. 4) says that Ashfaqullah did
"pairawi" for one Ata Husain, and that Ram Prasad did "pairawi" (O. P. 159.)
for the Hindus but cannot give any details of the case or cases in
which Ram Prasad did "pairawi". He only concluded that Ashfaq-
ullah was doing "pairawi" for Ata. Husain because he saw them
together on several occasions. Muhammad Shafiqullah Khan
(D. W. 7) says he spoke to Ashfaqullah about the time of the riots
and Ashfaqullah complained that persons who posed as national-
ists were taking part in communal quarrels. After being asked
several times whether Ashfaqullah mentioned any names the wit-
40 ness said that he mentioned the name of Ram Prasad. The manner
in which this witness after much hesitation made this statement
did not impress me with his reliability. Karim-ul-Raza Khan
(D. W. 8) a vakil who suspended practice during the non-co-ope-
ration movement and who appeared as counsel for Ata Husain
referred to above, says that Ashfaqullah did "pairawi" for
Ata Husain. His only reason for saying so, however, was
that Ashfaqullah used to accompany Ata Husain to his house.