EPISODE · Jun 22, 2026 · 7 MIN
The EIC's Forgotten Trial: Maharaja Nanda Kumar and the Limits of Company Justice
from The East India Company: The Corporation That Conquered Nations — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In 1775, a high-stakes drama unfolded in Calcutta that exposed the dark underbelly of East India Company power. Maharaja Nanda Kumar, a respected Brahmin and former zamindar, accused Warren Hastings of accepting bribes — only to be himself arrested, tried for forgery by a court packed with Hastings's allies, and hanged within weeks. This episode explores the trial of Nanda Kumar as a pivotal moment that tested the Company's claim to rule by law. We follow the accusations and counter-accusations, the role of Sir Elijah Impey (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court), and the infamous 'Grand Rebellion' of the Bengal Council. Through this forgotten legal battle, we see how the Company manipulated justice to silence dissent and consolidate power on the eve of the Regulating Act. A story of political intrigue, judicial overreach, and one man's fateful gamble against an emerging empire. #EastIndiaCompany #NandaKumar #WarrenHastings #ElijahImpey #SupremeCourtCalcutta #ForgeryTrial #CompanyJustice #BengalCouncil #GrandRebellion #RegulatingAct #BritishEmpire #LegalHistory #18thCentury #Calcutta #India #ColonialHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
In 1775, a high-stakes drama unfolded in Calcutta that exposed the dark underbelly of East India Company power. Maharaja Nanda Kumar, a respected Brahmin and former zamindar, accused Warren Hastings of accepting bribes — only to be himself arrested, tried for forgery by a court packed with Hastings's allies, and hanged within weeks. This episode explores the trial of Nanda Kumar as a pivotal moment that tested the Company's claim to rule by law. We follow the accusations and counter-accusations, the role of Sir Elijah Impey (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court), and the infamous 'Grand Rebellion' of the Bengal Council. Through this forgotten legal battle, we see how the Company manipulated justice to silence dissent and consolidate power on the eve of the Regulating Act. A story of political intrigue, judicial overreach, and one man's fateful gamble against an emerging empire. #EastIndiaCompany #NandaKumar #WarrenHastings #ElijahImpey #SupremeCourtCalcutta #ForgeryTrial #CompanyJustice #BengalCouncil #GrandRebellion #RegulatingAct #BritishEmpire #LegalHistory #18thCentury #Calcutta #India #ColonialHistory #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The EIC's Forgotten Trial: Maharaja Nanda Kumar and the Limits of Company Justice
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