The conventional view is that he committed suicide but there are some people who believe that he may have been murdered.

After the Battle of Plassey

1. More than a decade of total plunder of Bengal by both the East India Company and its officers.

2. Many of the nouveau rich, who made money from the plunder, were called nabobs when they returned to Britain

3. The most famous nabob was Robert Clive

4. The British control of Bengal destroyed the local systems, a large amount of money was taken out of circulation in Bengal, and there were no clear cut command structures and responsibilities left >> one consequence was the massive famine of 1770

5. The plunder made many British people immensely rich, and some bought lavish country estates all over Britain. In the case of Robert Clive, he purchased at least twelve estates/properties in Wales, Surrey, Shropshire, Bath, Ireland and London.