Netaji files: What happened to Subhash Chandra Bose?

Two reports come to different conclusions on Netaji’s death.

WrittenBy:Sourodipto Sanyal
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Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose is said to have died in a plane crash on August 18, 1945, in Formosa, Taiwan. On August 23, 1945, Japanese radio broadcast that Netaji had died. Yet, his death remains a mystery – there’s still uncertainty about whether the plane crash ever took place.

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The Indian government on January 23, 2015, released 100 declassified files that also contain details on the “disappearance” of Bose. Among these files, is the Shah Nawaz Committee report. In all, one committee and two commissions were set up to enquire into Netaji’s death: Shah Nawaz Committee in 1956, Khosla Commission in 1970 and Mukherjee Commission in 1999.

The Shah Nawaz Committee was set up on April 5, 1956 and consisted of Shah Nawaz Khan (Major General, Indian National Army), Suresh Chandra Bose (elder brother of Subhash Chandra Bose) and SN Maitra. The committee came to the conclusion (by majority view) that Netaji had died in the plane crash.

How did they come to this conclusion?

Japan had surrendered to the Allied Forces on August 15, 1945. The report states that since Bose realised there was no hope for the Japanese, he decided to shift his base from South East Asia. He, then, decided to fly from Bangkok via Saigon and Formosa to Tokyo.

Bose on August 16, 1945 (pg 12) left for Saigon from Bangkok with Colonel Habibur Rehman, Major Abid Hasan, Colonel Pritam Singh, Colonel Gulzara Singh, Debnath Das and SA Ayer. The committee mentions interviewing Habibur Rehman, SA Ayer and Debnath Das. Rehman came all the way from Pakistan to give his testimony.

According to the committee, (pg 13) Debnath Das said they arrived at Saigon at 8 am on August 17, 1945. SA Ayer and Habibur Rehman were convinced that it was 10 am. Given that more than 10 years had passed at the time of the enquiry, it’s likely that they may have forgotten the exact time. But it’s still interesting to note that there were discrepancies.

At Saigon, they found out that the plane that would carry them to Tokyo via Formosa had space only for Netaji and one more person (pg 15-16). The rest were to be occupied by Japanese personnel. Netaji, the report notes, selected Rehman to accompany him. There were about 14 (pg 19) people on the flight. Different witnesses gave conflicting estimates of the crew on board. Some of the witnesses interviewed stated there were four, while others said five.

The flight reached Formosa on August 18, 1945. It took off from the Taihoku Air Base (in Formosa) at about 2-2.30 (pg 26) in the afternoon. The report then states that moments after the plane took off, it crashed. The list of survivors does not include Subhash Chandra Bose (pg 42). Along with him, General Shidei, a high-ranking official of the Japanese army, also died. General Shidei’s service record was obtained from the Japanese Foreign office (pg 38). His death is recorded on August 18, 1945 at the Taihoku Air Base. Seven survived the crash. Five of them were interviewed by the committee in person (pg 31).

Major Kono, one of the survivors (pg 32), who had accompanied Bose in the plane and had been interviewed by the committee, had damaged four fingers of his right hand in the crash. The scars showed even 11 years after the accident.

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Image: The injured hands of Major Kono 11 years after the alleged plane crash.

There are again conflicting (pg 37) claims as to what happened after Netaji got out of the burning plane. Rehman claims that he came to Bose’s rescue, while Captain Nakamura (another survivor) claims it was he who rushed to save him. The committee finds it more prudent to trust Rehman’s statement. 

“While other witnesses have said that Netaji had to take off his clothes and was naked, Major Takahashi says that Netaji had his clothes on. As for Netaji’s clothes being on fire, the eye witnesses who had seen him all agree. As for who helped to put out the fire, it seems much more likely that Col. Habibur Rehman should have been the man to have come to the aid of his leader’’(pg 37).

The committee comes to the conclusion that the confused recollection was because of such a lapse of time (pg 39).

According to the committee (pg 43), Netaji was taken to the Nanmon Military Hospital in Taihoku for treatment. According to all the eyewitnesses, his body was badly burnt. He passed away that night itself. There are again contradictory reports as to when he had died. The committee comes to the conclusion that the exact time could not be confirmed but it is safe to say that he died sometime between 8pm and midnight (pg 50).

The committee finally asserts that Netaji died in the crash because it could not conclude that the crash did not take place: “There is no reason to disbelieve the large number of Japanese and non-Japanese witnesses. There is no evidence before us to show that the plane did not crash at Taihoku.’’

The Shah Nawaz Committee ascertains that Bose was dead based on the oral testimonies of the people that it spoke too. There are no official records to prove it and they categorically mention that.

So why did the Mukherjee Commission come to the conclusion that Netaji’s plane never crashed?

Mukherjee Commission was set up in 1999. It came up with its final report that was rejected by the Indian government in 2006.

The commission (pg 45) agrees that the flight did take off from Saigon. Yet, it differs largely in its conclusion from the Shah Nawaz Committee. The commission points at the strange fact that there is no official record of Netaji’s death in the crash, given his stature. It notes that the Taihoku Army Hospital, Taipei Municipal Bureau of Health and Hygiene and Taipei City Crematorium do not have any relevant documents pertaining to Netaji’s death.

There is one death certificate, allegedly of Bose, which was brought to the knowledge of the Shah Nawaz Committee. Harin Shah an editor of Indian Worker, official journal of the Indian National Trade Union Congress, conducted an enquiry on the authenticity of the certificate. This document was procured with the help of the Director of the Taipei Bureau of Health and hygiene. (pg 60).

The particulars had to be kept confidential. The committee writes, “that even a cursory glance proves the point that the certificate could not have belonged to Netaji”. (pg 62)

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According to the Mukherjee Commission, the entire story of Netaji’s death was concocted to ensure that he safely left Japan. Yet, surprisingly it does not go into the details of Bose’s escape from Japan and the role of the official authorities in it.

It’s been decades since the event (or the alleged event). It is unlikely that Netaji is still around. After going through some 100-odd pages of both the reports, I believe that Netaji did die in the plane crash. It’s hard to believe that all the witnesses interviewed were lying. The minute discrepancies aren’t startling since they were interviewed 11 years after the alleged event. As for the absence of official records, it was wartime and Japan had just surrendered. Keeping official records of an Indian freedom fighter was probably not on its priority list.

Tell us what you think after reading the files and leave your comments, theories and insights below.

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