BILL OF COSTS RECEIPT - Queen vs. Mohesh Chuckerbutty (1870)

This document is an official legal receipt from the High Court of British India, dating to the late 19th century (1869–1870). It serves as a formal bill of costs for services rendered in a criminal case titled "Queen vs. Mohesh Chuckerbutty." The case name signifies a Crown prosecution, as legal proceedings in British India were conducted in the name of Queen Victoria.

The receipt itemizes administrative fees for the Government Prosecutor. The primary charge is for "furnishing a copy of the charge," totaling 4 folios at a rate of 5 Annas per folio. Additionally, a fee is charged for "attending him therewith," essentially a courier or service fee. The total amount, 4 Rupees and 4 Annas, represents the clerical cost of moving legal paperwork through the court system.

Visually, the document features two significant High Court Service stamps (4 Annas and 4 Rupees) used to pay the required judicial fees. These stamps are physically "punched" with circular holes, a common historical practice to prevent them from being reused. Multiple "1870" ink stamps overlay the printed 1869 date, indicating when the transaction was finalized by the Clerk of the Crown.

Historically, this artifact provides a glimpse into the colonial judicial bureaucracy. It illustrates the rigid fee structures and the transition of the Indian legal system into a standardized, paper-heavy administration. The use of the "folio" system and the specific currency of Rupees and Annas highlights the intersection of British legal procedure and Indian fiscal reality during the Raj era.