On 13 January 1710, Lewis Melique, a European citizen of Madras presented a petition to Fraser accusing Khoja Safar, a prominent Armenian of St. Thomas Mount of sedition.

Melique accused Khoja and other Armenians of St. Thomas Mount of conspiring to break away from Fort St George and establish their own independent factory with St. Thome as port.

There existed a cordial relationship between the British at Fort St George and Zuddie Khan, the Mughal Foujdar of Bengal and Southern India with the frequent exchange of letters and gifts.

In 1698, two powerful Indians, Anantarao and Piccarao borrowed money from one Mr. Holcombe, the Deputy Governor of the English factory at Visakhapatnam and failed to repay him.

Holcombe, who had borrowed 44,000 pagodas from Fakrullah Khan, the Nawab of Kalinga, in order to pay the two Indians was embroiled in a perilous situation.