The draft report

On the following day, viz., on 14.7.56, we continued discussing the draft report, which, however, contained a larger number of discrepancies and contradictions on almost all the major points, to quote a few of which would be, the nature of injuries alleged to have been received by Netaji, the manner and the vehicle, in which he was said to have been taken to the hospital, the place and nature of his alleged treatment there, the time of his alleged death, a telegram dated 28.8.45 from the Chief of the Staff, Japanese Southern Army to the effect that Netaji\\'s body had been flown to Tokyo and lastly, the complete failure at the attempt to prove that, at about the time Netaji is alleged to have died in the hospital.

Col. Habibur Rahman, witness No. 4, deposed that the attending Medical Officer, Dr. T. Yoshimi, witness No. 48, handed over to him a rectangular wrist watch, said to have been worn by Netaji at the time of his alleged death and which finally came into the possession of the late Sarat Chandra Bose, one of Netaji\\'s elder brothers. This Medical Officer has denied all knowledge of this alleged conduct of his, viz., that he had handed over the rectangular wrist watch to Col. Rahman. There has, moreover, been a complete failure in adducing even an iota of evidence that Netaji ever wore any rectangular wrist watch, nor has a single such photograph of Netaji been produced. Even though Shri Maitra apparently omitted in his draft report several discrepancies and contradictions and tried to explain and minimise only those referred to by him, he was completely non-plussed with the evidence adduced with regard to the watch and had no other alternative, but to observe pithily, "The point about the watch remains inconclusive."

Another interesting point worthy of notice here is that Col. Rahman stated definitely that Netaji had a cut on his head, four inches long, which was bleeding. A straight denial regarding this injury comes from the Medical Officer, who is alleged to have attended on Netaji, but, who, however, makes detailed statements regarding the alleged injuries on Netaji, his treatment etc. Regarding this point, Shri Maitra has again made a very terse statement, viz., "This is a discrepancy." His resources, evidently, failed him to come forward with any explanation whatsoever. In another portion of his draft report, he has stated, "There is some discrepancy between the witnesses as to who travelled in which vehicle and who arrived first, but these are minor points and may be overlooked."

I am constrained to say that "overlooking" is the third mode of reasoning adopted by my learned colleagues for not considering and judging the discrepancies in their legitimate aspect. At another place it is recorded, "There is some discrepancy between the witnesses as to who were in the same ward with Netaji." Our wise colleague, after discussing some of the evidence regarding this point, concluded, "After a lapse of years, it would be perhaps unwise to lay too much stress on such minor discrepancies." Regarding the blood transfusion, alleged to have been given to Netaji, his conclusion is, "There is no way of reconciling these different statements and they must remain as they are." This is a very clear and frank confession of sheer helplessness on his part.

These are only a few of the many instances in which my learned colleagues have, in my humble opinion, failed to explain the glaring discrepancies and contradictions and to give due weight and consideration with a just, impartial and unprejudiced mind for coming to a correct conclusion or finding, which such evidence would legitimately demand. I cannot but record a queer incident that took place, when I was a student in College about 42 years ago. A British Professor of ours, failing on our repeated requests to explain a mathematical problem, eventually said, "Anyhow it comes to this", and then wrote the final result. I am constrained to say that I have now had the opportunity of obtaining its parallel from my learned colleagues, viz., "anyhow" it comes to this, that the plane carrying Netaji crashed, he died, he was cremated and his ashes are now in Renkoji Temple in Tokyo.

I cannot but bring it to the notice of my countrymen that though the draft report of my learned colleagues contains only a few discrepancies, they, in my opinion, have thought it wise not to make a correct estimation of the whole of the evidence, which contains a "multitude of discrepancies" and to come to a legitimate conclusion for the following reasons so wisely suggested by them, viz., because, (1) the incident took place about eleven years ago, (2) the witnesses were not tutored, (3) the point about the watch remained inconclusive, (4) there was no way of reconciling the different statements regarding blood transfusion, alleged to have been given to Netaji, (5) the inability to explain the contradictory statements about a four inches long bleeding injury on Netaji\\'s head and, lastly, as a trump card, they appealed to their magnanimous readers to use their good sense not to lay too much stress on such discrepancies and finally to "overlook" the same and to agree with their findings.

Under such circumstances, I believe, my readers will agree with me that I have some amount of justification in observing, as I have done above, that my colleagues have come to their findings on the sole basis and reasoning of "anyhow", that has suggested itself to me and that, evidence or no evidence, my loyal colleagues were determined to put down on paper such findings of theirs. After I take up the evidence on record and discuss and consider the same, I am almost certain that our Government and our countrymen will be pleased to agree with me that the findings and conclusions arrived at by my learned colleagues cannot at all be a correct and proper assessment of the evidence recorded and as such, they will also be pleased to agree with me, that with my colleagues, "anyhow" was the only weapon in their armoury, which they had to wield for arriving at their findings.

Though out of regard and pity, we did not pursue the matter further with our helpless Professor, I do hope and pray that our just and benign Government and our inquisitive countrymen, on whose initiative this enquiry has been made, will in due course be pleased to pursue the matter and to consider the evidence very carefully in an impartial and unprejudiced mind and draw their own conclusions therefrom.

From all that has been stated above, from the reports that have appeared in the newspapers from time to time, from the correspondence that has been exchanged between me and some of the high officials in Delhi, from my interviews and conversation over the telephone with the Chief Minister of West Bengal, who has also taken the trouble of speaking to a few of my nearest relations, it is evident that it is the intention of my energetic colleagues to have those ashes brought very soon, for reasons best known to them and also to our Government, from the Renkoji Temple in Tokyo to India, as they say that the Japanese nation is belittling the Indian nation for not honouring the ashes of such a renowned Indian leader, who, however, they believe, was mostly instrumental in expediting the departure of the British rulers from India.