Maharaja Nanda Kumar was hanged on this day by the British. He was convicted of forgery.
Nanda Kumar had worked as an official for the British, chiefly as a revenue collector. But he was critical of the British. This led to a conflict with Governor-General Warren Hastings.
Nanda Kumar accused Hastings of accepting bribes, a charge Hastings would face later as well. The corruption charges against him perhaps had some justification.
Hastings accused Nanda Kumar of conspiring and making false charges against him through another person. This charge against Nanda Kumar was dropped, but an accusation of forgery was brought against him in another case. Nanda Kumar was tried by Elijah Impey, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William, who was Hastings’ friend. Impey convicted and sentenced Nanda Kumar to death.
Nanda Kumar’s hanging provoked a strong backlash among Indians against the British. Hastings himself would later be impeached in Britain for charges that included corruption and misconduct in the case of Nanda Kumar. Impey was also impeached for the Nanda Kumar case. The charge against Impey was dropped first and then the charges against Hastings were also dropped.
