European renegades in Hindustan vs EIC

Inspired by watchin SHARPE'S CHALLENGE on late-night ABV TV a cpl wks back- WI some disgurntled but highly talented European officer in the EIC Army (along the lines of the historical Anthony Pohlmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Pohlmannn- ) deserted to the army of a local Indian ruler, beat the British & their local Indian sepoys time after time, then somehow (probably after cunningly deposing his employer) became an effective ruler of his own province & posed a continuing threat to British hegemony ? Or if more than 1 such EIC renegades were in fact able to carve out their own little states in India ?
 
The name of the man in question was William Dodd. According to the author of the "Sharpe's Triumph", both Anthony Pohlman and Dodd were real-life characters inserted into the story. Pohlman was a Sergeant in the EIC's Hanoverian Regiment before deserting to the Mahratta Confederation, and Dodd was an aging Lieutenant of Sepoys.

Apart from being involved in the murder of a native Indian and was facing dismissal and a trial, Dodd wasn't particularly rich, and promotion in the Company army was based on seniority. Unlike the King's army, Dodd couldn't purchase his rank.

I think televisions "Sharpe's Challenge" was loosely based on the events in both the books Sharpe's Triumph and Tiger.
 
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