A cache of 1600s Mughal news reports, unearthed from the British Library's vaults, reads like a Panama Papers for the empire. Sources confirm the documents detail how East India Company officials colluded with local rulers to exploit India's wealth. One account from 1662 describes a 'loan' to a Mughal prince at 36 per cent interest, secured by tax revenues.
The company's ledgers show payments to 'advisors' who silenced dissent. These reports prove that modern corporate corruption has deep roots. The archives, long sealed, now offer a crucial window into the mechanics of colonial plunder.
Investigators are calling for a full audit of company records held in London. The paper trail is clear: the wealth of the Raj was built on debt traps and backroom deals. And the UK archives hold the smoking gun.
