netaji mystery - satyanarain singha

7/31/2019 Netaji Mystery - Satyanarain Singha

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Contents

1. Netaji's Flight to Formsa2. No Plane Crash on Reported date3. Taipei Airfield Personnel Interviewed4. Netaji's Concept of War5. The Truth about Netaji's Air Crash6. Dairen Chalo7. Netaji in Dairen8. A 1949 Photograph of Netaji9. Netaji's Testament10.Wrong to Netaji must be Rectified11.The Betrayal of Netaji12.Subhas the Deliverer13.British attempts to Kill Netaji14.Netaji at war aginst Britain15.Netaji on Berlin-Dairen Red Road16.

Netaji's Echo from Yakutsk

17.Netaji's Jai-Hind on the Himalayan Front18.Enquiry about Netaji in Moscow19.Locating Netaji through Central Asia20.Gang to Yakutsk21.Our Fight to Free Netaji

(Began at Taipei in Nevember 1964

Completed Volume first at Ranchi-April 13th 1965)

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PREFACE

RANCHI JAN 22 Dr. Satyanarain Sinha, former Member of Parliament, declared at an informal

press conference here that no air disaster at Taipei on Formosa Island had actually taken place on

August 18, 1945, (two days after the Japanese surrender), in which Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose wassupposed to have lost his life.

The photos supplied by the Japanese Intelligence to Col. Habibur Rahman and included in the Netaji

Inquiry Committee report as factual evidence of the air disaster were in reality those of the disaster

which took place at the very spot on October 23. 1944.

Dr. Sinha said that the Formosa Government had in their possession documentary evidence of the

1944 crash. He claimed that he had photographic evidence to give lie to Netaji's air crash death

story. According to Dr. Sinha's evidence, the conspiracy to kill Netaji in 1944 was foiled owing to a

change in his schedule.

He sought to prove with evidence that Netaji took off for Dairen accompanied by the Japanese

General, Sedei, on August 18. 1945. What had happened to Netaji after he had reached Dairen

(which is in Soviet Russia) was for the Government of India to investigate.

Dr. Sinha had recently been to Far East and Formosa particularly to explore the death story of Netaji

Subhas Chandra Bose."

The above newspaper report gives the background to the so-called air disaster in which Netaji Bose

was supposed to have been involved, in a nutshell. But as is only natural, newspaper report of this

size cannot describe all the details of the entire investigation.

We hope, the readers will find the book stimulating and thought provoking.

Publisher

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1. NETAJI'S FLIGHT TO FORMOSA

On August 18, 1945, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's plane is supposed to have crashed on this

Formosa island at the very spot I am standing today -- November 18, 1964.

On August 24, 1945, all Indian newspapers had flashed a Japanese news agency report that Netaji

died in a Japanese hospital due to injuries from an air crash which took place at Taipei airfield of

Formosa on August 18, 1945. This report got corroborated by the British Indian Government of the

time.

After independence too, the same Japanese version was given out by the Congress Government in

Delhi as convincing evidence of Nataji's death. Pressed by public opinion for ascertaining the

reliability of the report, Prime Minister Nehru sent teams for enquiries to Japan. The site of the crash

at Taipei was not investigated.

The adamant attitude of the Indian Government in Netaji's case has intrigued not only thoseemotionally interested in Nataji's fate, but also those who have reasons to believe that in this

particular case, Government versions have been influenced by some other factors than the dictates

of fact finding realities. In this case, the Government records need definitely to be set right. This is

sure to serve our national cause.

(ii)

It looks strange to me that none of our countrymen before me had tried to trace out here at Taipei

the original records of that mysterious disaster.

Just the same, that unsolved riddle concerning Netaji remains an important lever in the history ofthe battles for India's independence, an inspiration to face the mortal Chinese menace at present,

and in building up the future of our country.

On the historic disappearance of Subhas from India, Ananda Bazar Patrika and Hindusthan Standard

had created world-wide sensation by being the only papers to announce the news. Again, when

Reuters announced the death of Subhas in 1943, the same papers refused to write an obituary. Very

soon, the death news proved to be incorrect.

The same way, investigations in Formosa itself put the Japanese news agency report of 1945

incorrect similar to that by Reuters of 1942.

Once more, with enough justification, we refuse to write an obituary.

(iii)

Before me, I have the 3675 feet high Yuangshan range. The Keelung river takes numerous sharp

bends at the foothills. Formosa's capital Taipei's military-civilian airfield stretches to quite a distance

along the southern bank of the stream.

Over the Keelung bridge a chain of aeroplanes hover low for landings or high above after take-offs.

The approach to aerodrome is technically as easy and smooth as it could be for those considered

safest in the world.


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There are no reports of any other airmishap at Taipei, except that one on October 23, 1944, in which

Subhas Babu definitely did not perish. According to Formosa reports, there was no aircrash on 18th

August, 1945.

For me it is a chance-luck that has landed me at this Formosa island. My foreign publishers had sent

me an airticket for the Tokyo Olympics, which reached me in Calcutta after a month the games wereover.

However, I have availed myself of the opportunity to get acquainted with some of the regions of the

Far East we know so litfle about.

Of course, there cannot be a greater happiness than plunging all out in to the unknown.

(v)

At Hong Kong I had an option to fly directly to Tokyo or via Formosa. A friendly C. A. T. airline man

lured me to a Formosa-bound Mandarin-jet and got set for my following the trails of Netaji.

When we took off that afternoon from Hong Kong at 15.20 hours local time, we were aboard a

convair 880-M jetliner. I had not flown in such type of aeroplane before. Finding me inquisitive to

know the flying characteristics of the machine, the pilot invited me to the cockpit.

We had a magnificent panorama of the dazzing islands getting gradually covered in layers of haze

and cloud.

There in an opening of the white blanket, an island of the pescador group peeped through, which

reminded me of the shells exchanged between the red and the Nationalist Chinese forces.

From somewhere in the depths of my memory, it cropped up " There is no such bomb which couldkill me.

I recollected those were the words of Subhas Babu, as we call Netaji affectionately. His images

imprinted from the pre-war personal contacts accompanied me, until the pilot pointed out "We

are making a landing approach to the Taipei airfield."

In a flash I got it it was just here that Netaji's plane is supposed to have crashed.

(vi)

The off-duty friendly pilot took me to the Grand Hotel, from where I had the best view of theapproach to the airfield. Leaving me there, he asked, whether I knew anybody in Taipei. I told him

about one General Pao I had known in Berlin during my diplomatic days.

"He is here, now working in our Foreign Office," the information-desk clerk said. "I shall ring him up.

You can talk to him."

I had not to wait long until the general himself turned up. During our talks in Berlin, we had often

discussed Netaji's mystery. Reviving the talks of those days, I asked "Could there be any eye-

witnesses of that plane disaster?"

"We shall find it out for you".


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"The causes of the crash must have been investigated?"

"Yes. The Japanese are supposed to have done that."

"Did they leave any reports of their findings ?"

"That too we will have to look into, since you are so eager to know thetruth, we shall put a team of

our experts to locate the necessary details. We have thousands of tons of Japanese papers safely

deposited in a far-away cave. I have an access to them. But it may take some time to find out thefiles we need.w

"I would like take yourfindinge home."

"You are most welcome. We shall do our best to help you in your assignmente.

(vii)

General Pao introduced me to the social, political and military leaders of his land including the

president Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. An informal meeting with him opened all the gates of the

Japanese secrets preserved on the island, including their intelligence reports. I could observe, study,

examine and take photographs of whatever, I thought, could have been of any value to my work.

Very soon the Taipei version of Netaji's story startled me with acts of far reaching revelations, I had

ever imagined to find out here.

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2. NO PLANE CRASH ON REPORTED DATE

The friendly Formosa Government found out some exceptionally experienced old 'India hands' and

detailed them to render in help in my enquiries. Particularly two of them Mr. Chuang and Mr. Tao,

occupying very high position in the foreign office and the cultural organisation respectively, becamemy closest associates in the task.

Mr. Chuang is generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's man of confidence and was posted as a special

representative of the Chinese Government at New Delhi during the Second World War. Chuang lived

in Jhind house in New Delhi and had occasions to come in personal contact with the Indian political

leadership of the time. But his main job was to maintain contact and work as a liaison between the

Chinese and the British intelligence Departments, both civil and military.

He drove me to Taipei's Grand Hotel, took me to the tennis court, located in its compound, and

explained "This is thelocation of the only air crash that has taken place in the history of Taipei."

"When was it?"

"On October, 1944, at 14.00 hours Tokyo time."

"Did the Japanese news agency reports not put it as on August, 18, 1945?"

"It is not correct. There has not been any crash at Taipei besides the one I am telling you about."

"How are you so sure?"

"At that time I was posted at New Delhi. The Japanese sources themselves had given out that one of

their planes which had last taken-off from Canton had crashed here with the Indian leader Subhas

Bose on board, carrying a very heavy load of gold and jewellery with him."

"Are you sure, it was on October 25, 1944, and not on August 18, 1945?"

"Hundred percent. I have checked it repeatedly with the most reliable source."

"What is that?""During the war we worked with the British and operated in collaboration against the Japanese.

Whatever job was to be done in the Japanese-held Chinese areas was done through us. To achieve

good results in such a task we had got some of our reliable men infiltrated into the Japanese

apparatus. One of our such men worked for the Japanese intelligence, and it was he who had helped

them in the inquiries of the Taipei crash. He is now here still working for us. I have talked to him

about all the details before bringing you here at the site of the crash. He is sure, no other crash

besides the one he conveyed to us in New Delhi in October 1944, has ever taken place here. He

himself has all along been in Taipei during the Japanese occupation and after we took over from

them."

"What are the exact details of the crash you know about?"

"At that time they said that it was very stupid of Subhas Bose to have carried so much gold andjewellery with. That wealth had attracted the attention of a notorious Japanese gang operating on

this island. Somehow the gang had secured the information about the arrival of the plane and made

previous signalling arrangement with the crew immediately before landing."

''You mean to say, there was a criminal conspiracy to rob Subhas Babu's treasures?"

"Certainly there was a conspiracy. Here at this very spot stood newly-built Japanese temple. On

October 25, 1944, there was going to be a grand celebration at the temple to inaugurate it. But two

days before that, the plane in an effort to alert the conspirators of the arrival of gold, flew over the

temple, and in that process rubbed against the temple top. Immediately the plane caught fire, and it

crashed in flames. The whole temple was burnt down. There were no survivors."

"Is this the report you got at New Delhi?"

"Yes. All these details I got at New Delhi, and checked them with the British Intelligence there."

"But I do not remember any such details published in our newspapers.''


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"The censor might have waited for a suitable time to release to the public that news which could

change the whole course of the Far Eastern war in their favour."

"This is quite an amazing stroy. The crash incident which actually took place in October, 1944, and in

which Subhas Babu was in reality not involved got flashed out at the very end of the war to convey

to the Indian public that it was really the end of their best fighter for freedom they ever had."

Chuang took me to the dining room of the Grand Hotel and continued. "There is definitely

something in British intelligence reports concerning Subhas Babu which they do not want to make

public even today. To cover that secrecy they circulated through the Japanese news agency the

report of crash that took place ten months ago, deliberately to confuse Indian public mind about the

fate of their great leader."

"Your report of the actual crash would help us to uncover that concealed British intelligence secret."

"It is possible. I give you the authority to quote my name in this connection. Since you are so

insistent on knowing the truth, our Government had decided to publish the details we have here

relating to that crash as early as we can."

* * *

Looking for a kerchief inmy coat pocket I dug out a crumpled newspaper cutting I had put in half

read during my Calcutta-Bangkok legof the fight.

It was a letter from one Mr. Hayashida, a Japanese National, to several editors of Indian newspapers,

dated October 28, 1944.

Hayashida had reiterated the details of the crash and death of Netaji in 1945.

I passed on the cutting to my Formosa investigator Mr. Tao, who commented "Itis very significantthat the Japanese are again reverting to their original news agency statement. Once the real truth

about 1944 Taipei crash is known, it will become a direct challenge to British and Indian Intelligence

besides the Japanese. They will find it very hard to keep in the dark their dirty tricks relating to

Subhas Bose during the war.''

"We know nothing in India about those tricks."

"May be it is due to the fact that India and Formosa have no contact either on governmental or on

individual level."

''Did India ever had queries from you about that crash?"

"No, you are the only one from your country so far who have approached us regarding the fate of

Subhas Bose. If you will continue to follow the trails of Bose, you are sure to come across many ofthose dirty tricks played against him here in the Far East."

His comments threw a new light on most of the literatures on Netaji. I had come across many

reports which claimed to be authentic, because they relied on intelligence records, looked as if they

had nothing to do with the real character, life and role of Netaji.

Under the shadow of the Yuanshan ranges at the very site of the said plane crash, I began to see the

truth about Netaji in a new light.

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3. TAIPEI AIRFIELD PERSONNEL INTERVIEWED

While Formosa friends looked for the hidden secret into the piled 'mountain' of the so far unsorted

papers of the former Japanese Government, I went for various explorations in my own way.

Looking from my tenth floor window of the President Hotel, the largest in Taipei, I watched minutely

the movement of aeroplanes. For the plane it was normally necessary to go nearer or to fly over that

part of Yuanshan where the plane crash had taken place. The reason given for the 1944 crash was

that the pilot intended to alert the Sino-Japanese gang of conspirators, and in that process struck the

top of the newly built Japanese temple.

About the 1945 crash, I recollected the reasons as publised in Indian newspapers were rather of a

novel nature. It was said that some bird 'might have' collided with the propeller after its take-off,

and that the plane crashed from a height of 300 feet on a hill. It caught fire. Seven of the occupants

escaped, but Netaji had injuries in his head, due to which he expired after six hours.

I went to Sung Shan airport, one and a quarter miles form Taipei to check up the details. The

aerodrome officer told me that the present international airport was only a military airfield in 1945.

It had at that time a runway of 5,000 feet and the take-off and landing was from nine degrees. This

detail was enough to conclude that the alleged plane in no case could have crashed in the same

direction with the background of the hill from where it had taken off. The hills ahead are several

miles away. No plane flies backwards.

None of the present airport personnel knew of any crash at Taipei. But the aerodrome officer told

me, I could go to the Lungshan shrine and meet there some old airport hands, now leading a retired

life.

* . * * *

The Lungshan shrine is situated in Taipei itself. With gilded idols and carved stone pillars, this 230

year old Buddha temple has ornate architecture. An old man prostrated himself before the image of

the much worshipped Goddess of Mercy, Kuanin, as the Chinese call her.

When he was about to leave, I asked him whether he was an old employee of the Taipei airport.

"Yes. I worked for the Japanese throughout the war as one of their airport fire brigade personnel."

'Do you remember any airplane crash during the period of your service?"

"Yes there was one in October, 1944. But that was brought down by some Japanese conspirators to

plunder the gold cargo the plane carried. We had a very hard time. The newly built Japanese temple

on that Yuanshan hill was completely burnt down. Hundreds of people were employed to clear the

debris and pick out the gold for the Japanese. You will find many eye witnesses of that crash still

living in different parts of our island. Here in Taipei itself, you may come across a few dozens, if you

persist in your search.''

"Was there any other accident in August, 1945?"

"Never heard of any accident in 1945. If there was one, I could have known about it, because, we

from the fire brigade are the people who rush to the site of the accident first."


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Besides the image of Kuanin, the temple also housed the Goddess of sea Matsu. Another devotee

was saying his prayers before that deity. My fire brigade friend introduced him to me "Here is my

friend, Yu. He was a refuelling hand at the airport during the war. Perhaps he can help you more."

Yu too did not remember of any crash besides the one in 1944. Anyway, he asked me "Fromwhere that 1945 plane is supposed to have started?."

"They say, it started on 18th August from Saigon."

"And when did it crash at Taipei?"

"They say, on the same day at 1400 hours, Tokyo time."

"It is doubtful that the transport planes of those days could have made Saigon-Taipei in one hop, and

reached their destination so quickly."

How did they come normally to Taipei from that direction?"

"Mostly they refuelled at Canton."

"They do not say about any landings between Saigon and Taipei?"

"This must be a very strange case, but what is your real purpose in investigating about that particularplane?"

"Our grat leader Bose is reported to have been killed in that Taipei crash."

"So far as I can remember, your Bose was killed in 1944 October crash."

"How do you know?"

"The Japanese who plundered his gold openly talked about his death."

We all three stood before the Budha, and prayed. Both my temple friends were very happy to hear

that in reality Netaji was not killed in that 1944 crash. I told them that we have in India a number of

his photographs letters and livebroadcast tape records as a convincing evidence that he was alive,

hale and hearty until the last days of the Far Eastern war August, 1945.

* * * *

As arranged previously, Mr. Tao too turned up at the temple to meet me. He had some important

news for me. "I have gone through the papers of our wartime New Delhi diplomatic and military

missions. It is beyond doubt that the British Intelligence was all out for the life of Subhas Bose.

Accordingly, they had financed and set a band of conspirators ready here at Taipei, through our

agencies to bring down the plane in .which Mr. Bose Was to travel to Tokyo. Some changes in Mr.

Bose's programme altered his schedule. But the plane loaded with the cargo of some of the South-

East Asian gold, plundered by Japanese forces, was on its way to Tokyo, when it was brought down

here at Taipei. Our agents took it for granted that Bose was on that plane, and so, according to our

records, he was declared dead in the crash of 23rd October, 1944."

"For New Delhi this must have been a great frustration."

"It was, Bose was their greatest enemy. The British Intelligence remained on his tracks until the last

days of the war."

"It is quite natural. But our job is to find out what happened to him after he left Saigon by plane on

18th, August, 1945."

"In any case, this much is certain that on that day there was no plane crash here, and so the question

of Mr. Bose dying here does not arise. Good luck had spared him from that 1944 crash. But the

British Intelligence have given it out as a pretence for his reported end in August, 1945".


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"Why was such a pretence necessary?"

"To hide their crimes."

"We must get in to the details of those crimes."

"Once we publish our papers concerning Bose, there will be a great turmoil also in New Delhi. But let

come what may, we must get in to the truth of the man who in actual deed has defeated death."

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4. NETAJI'S CONCEPT OF WAR

In our time, no Indian has lived so dangerously defying death as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. During

the last years of their rule in India, the British rulers had nearly succeeded in suffocating the very

Indian soul by depriving it of breathing the air of freedom. The Indian national spirit struggled hardfor its survival.

Subhas stood up against the British imperialist might at its peak hour and inflicted a mortal blow on

the giant. The giant collapsed, consoling itself that Subhas too was dead.

The death of the British Raj in India is as clear as daylight. But there is no evidence of Netaji's death,

not to speak of his spirit which has become immortal.

As soon as the first rays of the sun struck the peak of Yuanshan, I soared above it in a C-47 to find

out the actual cirsumstances under which the last battles were fought between the imperialist force

and Subhas.

Colonel Yeh was our pilot. He asked me to take the co-pilot's seat. Setting our course in the direction

of the Kinmen islands, we began to chat.

"When did you first come to this island, colonel?'' I asked.

"With the first group of aviators to take over the airfield from the Japanese."

"Was this island in a chaotic state then ?"

"Not particularly. Before taking up this job, I was a military attache in New Delhi. There you hadmuch more trouble, while the British were leaving India than we had here when the Japanese left

this island."

"Then you are in a privileged position to know more certain vital military aspects of Asiatic upheavals

than we do."

"My impression in New Delhi was that you Indians do not attach any importance to military aspect of

a country's life. Your leadership went to the extent of condemning any touch of armed fight even in

so vital a matter as making your country free from the yoke of the British rule."

"It was so."

"I remember, the only man who raised his voice for taking up arms to drive out the British from India

was your leader, Subhas Chandra Bose. And for that, how did he suffer?"

"Do you know any of the details of his work in this respect?"

"Of course, I know. I had to report about it to our Chung-king Government at the time. Since Britain

was fighting Japan, we had co-ordinated military movements and plans for victory with them.

Subhas Bose was the greatest obstacle in our way. We measured his strength equal to ten or fifteen

of our divisions. He was our enemy, but personally I did admire him as the most outstanding South

East Asian Military leader."


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"What did impress you most?"

"His great contribution to the concept of war."

"What is it precisely?"

"Clausewitz trearise on war began with establishing once and for all the "concept of absolute war,"as understood in strict military sense Subhas Bose became the exponent of a 'Just national war with

no surrender'. His concept is of a final national victory does not matter how hard and how long.

This is the type of war we are fighting even now to liberate our mainland where the Communist

bandits are murdering our compatriots relentlessly."

"What is significantly characteristic in Bose's type of war?"

"It is the concept of a final national victory. For the sake of the final national victory the whole nation

must get mobilised, as well as political stratagems and diplomatic actions, all must have one purpose

only, to achieve final victory. In such a war, the whole South-East Asia was but an individual

transaction with no significance except for the sake of the final settlement free nationalgovernments in India, China, Japan and all other countries of the world."

"Very good

"Nosurrender and no defeat. This is what brought a clash between Bose and the Japanese military

leaders of the South-Eash Asia during the last part of the war. Bose was not for surrender, and as far

as we know, he did not surrender."

"What happened to him ultimately?"

"For that you will have to unearth the intelligence documents of the British, the Japanese and theNational Chinese. We are helping you in this matter. May be we shall come to some definite

conclusion, once our Government publishes the documents in their possession as they have

promised you."

* * *

The Kinmen island and the silhouette of the Chinese mainland came in view. The cononel pointing

them out smiled "It is there that Subhas Bose's concept of war is being put into action."

"How?"

"As I told you, we cannot, and have not surrendered to the savage Chicom (Chinese Communist)

forces. About the amazing power of survival of the people of this island you know nothing in India.

Here our total population is only 12 milion. Chicom which is bent upon destroying us as their main

target boasts of having misled a force of 700 million people of the mainland. We twelve against

seven hundred 'have not only succeeded in keeping our existence but are even now the deadliest

threat to Chicum."

"You are brave people."

"You were defeated by Chicum in one battle in the Himalayas in autumn 1962, and have not taken

any counter-offensive yet to regain your lost territories. Though our island has insignificant area and

population compared to your vast country, we are prepared to switch on to counter-offensive at any


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suitable moment. This is amazing, you have forgotten Subhas Bose, and here we are displaying his

concept of fight in concrete action."

After our landing on Kinmen Island, the trails of Netaji lured me to an amazing pattern of the

spearhead of the historical forces destined to kill the Chinese Communist imperialists now

dangerously menacing Netaji's very homeland.

In front of our present struggle aginst the Communist invasion, we have to exert our efforts to bring

to light Netaji's spirit of fight and great courage. Then only there will be no doubt, no grief and fear.

Only by that spirit we shall defer death, as'Netaji himself has done, win resounding victory, and save

our country.

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5. THE TRUTH ABOUT NETAJI'S AIR-CRASH

(i)

My investigations about Netaji on the Formosa islands prolonged indefinitely. Gradually, I was ableto trace his onward action from the afternoon of August 18th 1945, the alleged hour of the so called

plane crash at Taipei.

Quite soon I had convincing evidence of the fact that the death story of Netaji was put forward by

the Japanese intelligence to cover Netaji's real traces. This was one of the most successful

diversionary manoevre carried out by the Japanese during the last war.

There seems nothing unusual in the Japanese action which actually wished well to Netaji so far it

saved him from the hot pursuit of the Anglo-American intelligence hounds after his blood. The

Japanese intelligence in this respect went even to the extent of providing deceptive photographs to

cover the truth. They briefed colonel Habib-ur-Ruhman about a plane crash story which had actuallytaken place on October 23, 1944, and tutored him to tell his British intelligence interrogators that

the accident happened on 18.8.1945. The colonel reported the Japanese story again before the

Netaji Inquiry committee (NIC) of 1956, giving out the hill-top crash site photos of 1944, supplied to

him by the Japanese intelligence as the only factual evidence o Netaji's death.

Eversince, the Indian public has been deliberately misled in respect of the Netaji's affairs.

(ii)

What is even today most surprising is the adamant and fanatic belief of the Delhi Government in the

faked Netaji's death story. Such an extraordinary official attitude towards Netaji has forced theobjective observers to come to the conclusion that it is politically advantageous to the Government

in office to falsely declare and make others believe, whether true or not, that Netaji is dead.

Netaji had been the only national leader who owed his strength to standing for stark nationalism in

contrast to the Gandhian hatred for military means to gain independence. Subhas had been to the

Victoria Menorial at Calcutta, and seen it engraved there that only 900 British soldiers under Robert

Clive had defeated 72,000 strong Indian forces in the battle of Plassy. This defeat had broken the

backbone of Indian national manhood to the extent that no Indian before Subhas could come out to

build up Indian fighting divisions to drive out the British from India.

Such a restoration of the national self-respect necessary for gaining Independence and the survivalas a free country, made Subhas an unchallenged national hero. He had fought Gandhi in 1939 for the

control of Congress, and had been outwitted and humiliated to the extent that he had to leave the

country to fight for the cause most dear to him and to prove his faith in Indian fighting spirit to

achieve independence. His bravery and military leadership in fighting the British forces under the

most desperate circumstances has contributed in action the most brilliant chapter in India's military

history so far. The battle of Plassy has been avenged by the Indian armed forces under the military

leadership of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Of such a tremendous magnitude has been the historic role of Netaji that if he returned to India at

the end of the war, he would have been the most dangerous enemy to Gandhism and the Nehru-

Shahi.


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These considerations were uppermost in the minds of the Indian policy-maker who had taken over

power from the British. Realising this truth in a flattering manner, the official verdict in the case of

Netaji went all out to declare him dead, even at the cost of twisting the historical and factual

evidence in favour of his existance after the so called air-disaster at Taipei.

Naturally, the Indian public has strongly desired that all the facts about Netaji should be enquired,and made known to public. It was due to such countrywide agitation that the Government of India's

hands were forced to appoint a Netaji Inquiry Committee in April 1956. But the practically one man

Shah Nawaz show did not do any justice to the seriousness of the Inquiry it deserved. Perhaps it was

also not convenient to the Government to make an objective inquiry.

On page 3 of the NICR we read "The members of the committee were anxious to visit Formosa

which was the actual scene of occurrence of the plane crash, Netaji's death, and his cremation.

There were difficulties in doing so as there were no diplomatic relations between the Government of

India and the authorities in Formosa. A reference was made to the Government of India, who

informed the committee that they did not consider a visit to Formosa feasible. So the attempt had to

be given up."

What an Inquiry is imaginable which is not done at the actual scene of occurrence? The Nationalist

Government of China at Formosa is a leading member of the United Nations, and if approached by

India, could have never turned down any request for facilities to make inquiries which are concerned

only with the noble humane aspects.

India has no diplomatic relations with the Soviet zone East Germany. But when myself was

accredited with diplomatic rank to the Indian Military Mission, Berlin, I have visited East Berlin and

East Germany a number of times with other members of our Mission there, to carry out the

instructions of our External Affairs Ministry. If the Communist East Germany could be visited without

any diplomatic relations with that country, why not the Nationalist Republic of China on the FormosaIslands?

Again an objective observer is forced to conclude that the Government of India and its political

leadership are not interested in facing the truth that Netaji had nothing to do with the Taipei plane

disaster. All India Government inquiries were made in Japan just to stupidly put a seal to the

Japanese intelligence reports of a deliberate diversionary manoevring character.

(iii)

In the NICR we find three photos of the alleged air-crash at Taipei as the only factual proof of the

disaster. Even a cursory scrutiny of the photos gives out the truth. The NICR findings are

"Themost credible version is the plane crashed about 100 metres beyond the concrete runway." But the

photos show the crash-site on hill-top, which actually lies not less than a mile and a half from the

concrete runway. Colonel Habib-ur-Rahman too has said that the crash took place one or two miles

outside the aerodrome. He is right. Actually a plane crash had taken place on a hill-top on October

23, 1944, one or two miles outside the aerodrome. And he was briefed by the Japanese intelligence

about this crash which he had not lived through.

When investigating at Taipei, I myself took a few dozen photos both of the hill-top and the runway

from different angles. The hill-top crash-site of 1944 comes out the same as of the NICR photo of the

runway crash supposed to have happened on 18.8.1945. The contour and the silhouette of the

Yuanshan hills in the background are remarkably similar in NICR and my photos. If nothing else,


16/71

these photos speak the truth that there is no truth in Taipei disaster of 18.8.1945, and so it is not

true that Netaji lost his life there.

The Government of India and their intelligence renowned for their cleverness, are definitely afraid of

the real truth about Netaji coming out, and for this reason did not allow even their own trusted NIC

members to visit Formosa. The barrier of diplomatic relations is only a pretence to keep Netaji andhis brilliant historic role covered in darkness.

The truth is, as I have myself found out as a result of my investigations on the Formosa island itself,

that NETAJI TOOK OFF FOR DAIREN AT 14.30 HOURS ON 18th AUGUST 1945 AND HE REACHED HIS

DESTINATION SAFELY THE SAME EVENING.

***********************************************************************


17/71

6. "DAIREN CHALO"

(i)

Even after the Japanese surrender on 15.8.1945, Netaji did not surrender. He said "Japan'ssurrender was not India's surrender." Further, he declared that his battle was for the independence

of India, and whatever happened to his allies Germans or Japanese, his war would continue till the

liberation of India was achieved.

In face of his military calculations getting upset, Netaji got determined not to fall into the hands of

the Anglo-Americans, and to continue his war from "some Russian territory."

Going through the military situation of the day, the only place Netaji could go beyond the approach

of Anglo-American forces turned out to be Dairen in southern Manchuria.

(ii)

It is on record that on 15th August 1945, Netaji signed an order of the day, which contained "...Do

not be depressed at our temporary failure. Be of good cheer and keep up your spirits. Above all,

never for a moment falter in your faith in Indias destiny. There is no force on earth that can keep

India enslaved. India shall be free and before long. Jai Hind.

Subhas Chandra Bose.''

Then he asked one of his Japanese aids "How far have the Russians got? How soon would they be

in Dairen?

According to General Isoda, the head of the Japanese Liason Mission (Hikari Kikan) through whomNetaji's all correspondence with Japan passed, Netaji had asked the Japanese Government to put

him in direct touch with the Russians. But now it was too late. Russia had already declared war on

Japan on August 9, 1945. Since then matters moved very fast in all theatres of war throughout the

Far-East.

For Netaji, it was something like getting out of a burning house on shore with the only escape

window towards a stormy sea. Dairen looked to him as the only floating plank on which he could set

out for his supreme "adventure into the unknown."

Before plunging into the most roaring theatre of war, now getting centred around Dairen, Netaji

took stock of the military situation in Manchuria. The Russian radio had reported on August 11 thatthe Red army had switched on to an all out offensive to occupy Manchuria under the overall

command of Marshal A. M. Vasilevski. The Marshal had set his goal to capture Port Arthur and

Dairen to take revenge on the Japanese, who had snatched those ports from the Russians forty years

ago. Russia was now determined to avenge her defeat with great pomp.

For the Russian occupation of Dairen Stalin had already made international manouevres. In the

secret Yalta agreement of February 11, 1945 a clause was included according to which Dairen was to

be internationalised. But Stalin had pressed for and had got that clause qualified "but the Soviet

interests will be pre-eminent". Thus, on diplomatic chessboard Russia had been able to recover the

preveleged position inManchuria, specially Dairen, which she had enjoyed before Russo-Japanese

war of 1905. On this point the Russians had also secretly negotiated with Japan, and by July 1945,

Japan had agreed to the annexation of Dairen by Russia.


18/71

Netaji knew about this Dairen deal in all its details. In his mind there was no doubt that the Russians

were sure to occupy Dairen before the war in Far-Eastern theatres came to an end. Precisely for this

reason Dairen was uppermost in his mind. Whenever he talked of continuing his war from some

Russian territory, actually what he meant by it was Dairen. Besides, Dairen was the nearest ''Russian

territory" on way to Tokyo which he could reach in one hop after refuelling at Taipei.

At a time when Netaji was chalking out his flight plans to Dairen, the Americans dropped the atomic

bomb on August 6th at Hiroshima and on August 9th at Nagassaki. These bombs broke the backbone

of the Japanese fighting spirit against the Anglo-Americans. Japanese surrender became a matter of

days if not of hours. Such an opportunity to snatch away Manchuria from the Japanese, the Russians

could not let pass for any reason whatsoever. They immediately, on 8th August itself declared war

on Japan, and began to overrun the territories promised to them.

At this stage something happened in the affairs of the Far-Eastern war which was quite unexpected.

The Japanese resistance towards the Anglo-Americans stopped but it got stiffened against the

Russians. This was alarming to Netaji's plans and he had to take immediate steps for his survivalunder the sun.

On August 24th, President Truman declared that Japan surrendered and the war had ended. But on

August 15th, the Russians announced that the Japanese had not surrendered to them in Manciiuria.

Next day a new cabinet was formed in Japan, which was in favour of continuing the war against the

Russians. On August 16th, Marshal Vasilevski reported fierce fightiag against the Japanese, and gave

an ultimatum to Tokyo that the Japs must surrender by August 20th.

These details from the fighting fronts enabled Netaji to decide the course of action he had to take. In

the afternoon of the 17th August he found himself at Saigon airport to take a plane for Dairen. The

plane provided to him had among the Japanese passengers, a distinguished military officer, Lt. Gen.Shidei, lately Chief of the General Staff of the Burma army, who was proceeding to Dairen as Chief of

Staff of the Kwantung army. This General Shidei was an expert on Russian affairs in the Japanese

army, and was a key man for negotiations with Russia. Netaji would not have wished a better

companion for his trip to Dairen.

The plane itself which Netaji accompanied by General Shidei took was a twin-engined heavy bomber

of 97-2 (Sally) type. Before it took off from Saigon airfield at 17.30 Hrs. a number of Netaji's

photographs were taken officially. One of them is when he was standing at the door of the plane just

before the propellers moved in the light of the setting sun still too bright to dazzle his eyes. Perhaps

this is the last photo of Netaji so far available. In the air-crash photo of Taipei, Netji's traces are

nowhere to be found. The disintegrated parts of the plane, when properly examined, make itdoubtful, whether it was a twin-engined or at all a 97-2 Sally bomber.

While still air-borne over Indo-China, Netaji and General Shidei decided to lighten the bomber, to

enable it to take extra petrol for longer hops than the normal ones it was designed for.

Consequently, the plane landed at Tourane, and all other passengers and load were deplaned. This

was the last time, Netaji's aid Habib-ur-Rehman too saw his chief. He along with other Japanese

passengers and the load were to follow in another plane.

Next morning, it was Saturday, 18th August 1945. A fateful day. The Japanese radio-operator of

Netaji's plane woke him up reporting that a Japanese plane seeking peace was to land at the

American occupied Okinawa with a white flag indicating surrender.


19/71

So, a hasty early start at 5.00 Hours was made by Netaji and General Shidei as the only passengers

on the converted Sally bomber. The plane was lighter, the weather perfect, and the engine and the

radio instruments worked smoothly. Under these normal conditions, the plane already by noon

covered half the distance to Dairen, landing at Taipei for refuelling.

While the plane refuelled, Netaji asked General Shidei to ascertain from the local base intelligence,how far the Russians had got into Manchuria and how long Dairen was supposed to hold on. Shortly

they were informed that though Port Arthur was about to fall, Dairen was very well protected, and

that base was to be defended by the Japanese to the last gun and the last man.

Now, it became all the more necessary for General Shidei to reach Dairen as quickly as possible to

take over command of the Japanese forces as their Chief of Staff. To Netaji nothing could have

suited better. Having light lunch, both of them instructed the military intelligence to innovate some

diversionary story to cover their flight to Dairen. This was necessary in view of the fact that the

Japanese surrender negotiating team had left Tokyo, and was on its way to MacArthur's

Headquarters at Manila. Netaji expected that the Anglo-American planes may land any moment at

Taipei, to capture him. Situation being so desperate, Netaji had to take measures to mislead alsoTokyo about his real future moves. He was not sure whether his departure from Saigon was not

already known to Anglo-American intelligence, in view of the fact that the allien and insurgent

apparatus had got overnight exceedingly active there.

One of my Taipei contacts who had served the Chinese intelligence in early forties in India, and later

on was posted at Taipei as an agent-provacateur during the last days of the war, vividly described

Netaji's departure from Taipei in the afternoon of 18th August. Netaji still in his INA Supreme

Commanders uniform walked briskly with General Shidei to the converted bomber. The Chief-pilot

looked out from the cockpit, and greeted him. Netaji nodded, and commanded "Dairen Chalo."

**********************************************************************


20/71

7. NETAJI IN DAIREN

(i)

At the end of 1964, I met Colonel Yeh again at Taipei airport when he had just landed from a routinereconnaissance flight over the Pescador islands. During our several meetings, we had become so

friendly that he was now prepared to share with me the intelligence reports of his country about the

Netaji affairs.

He greeted me with a smile repeating Netaji's battle-cry "Delhi Chalo".

Finding him in a good mood, I also replied in Netaji's words "There are many roads leading to

Delhi. Pahle Dairen Chalo."

Actually, for the moment, Dairen fascinated me more than Delhi.

(ii)

"So, Colonel: You think that Netaji's plane did not crash here, and he actually flew to Dairen?"

"What do you mean by I think? I saw Netaji taking off for Dairen at 14. 30 Hrs. on 18th August

1945, and I reported this fact to my Government at Chungking."

I remained skeptic, and expressed my doubts "What was your duty those days at this airport?"

"I had got myself employed as an ordinary boy at the Japanese military airport canteen here. I used

to serve tea, breakfast or some light lunch to the officers or dignitaries passing through this place."

"How did you know that he was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose?"

"I used to shadow him at Calcutta when he was your Congress President.''

"What interest you had?"

"Nothing personal. I served our Chungking Government.''

"Please tell me some more details of the occasion you saw Netaji taking off for Dairen."

"Believe me, I know more about the Japanese manouevrings of that day than even the Japanese

intelligence posted here."

"How could it be?

"You see, on that 18th August a Japanese team of highest officers had flown to Okinawa American

command flying white surrender flags. As in other theatres of war, all Japanese commanders here

did not agree to surrender. So, a Japanese prince was to come here and proceed to other theatres of

war carrying orders from the Emperor himself to various army commanders to surrender. In his

honour a special tent had been pitched here and our canteen was given provisions to prepare a

dinner course of 30 varieties. I had the duty to attend to the guests at the tent itself. Therefore,

when Netaji Bose turned up here with General Shidei, I was the boy to serve them tea. I was


21/71

supposed to be totally ignorant of the English language, so the Japanese talked their plan with Netaji

quite openly. They did not take any notice of my all along presence inside the tent.''

"What were the plans they discussed with Netaji?"

"Netaji had enquired about the exact situation prevailing at the Dairen airport that day. Whilebriefing him on the subject, the Japanese intelligence officer informed him that the Russians feared

an American landing there, and therefore, the Red airforce was getting in extensive operation to

occupy Dairen. On this Netaji had commented "In that case we must start right now."

Was their any hitch in their start?''

"The Jap intelligence officer was asking them to postpone the flight till next morning."

"Why?"

"He calculated that the flying time from Taipei to Darren was about six hours with that convertedbomber in which Netaji travelled. So, it would getpast eight in the evening when they would reach

their destination. At that time whether the night landing facilities at Dairen airport would be

available to them was problematic in face of the Russian airforce attacks there. Hearing all these

objections, Netaji got impatient, and came out in a commanding tone "We must start for Dairen

right now."

"What was just like Netaji."

"He walked briskly and General Shidei joined his steps with him. Reaching the plane, Netaji

commanded the pilot "Dairen Chalo."

"A determined order.''

"Of course. They took off. It was exactly 14.30 Hrs. when the plane got airborne."

"They say, then that plane crashed about 100 metres beyond the concrete runway?"

"This cock and bull story was tutored to Netaji's Indian aide who reached Taipei when Netaji's plane

had already vanished in the northern horizon.''

"Were you present when the Jap officer tutored the crash story to Netajis aide?"

"Certainly. It was in the same tent where I served them tea and the rest of the sumptuous princely

dinner. They talked freely in Enghlish, since they thought I could not follow it. But:why? Even after

that day the Jap intelligence officer and that Netaji's aide turned out at our canteen for a number of

times during the next ten days or so, and every time the talk turned out to some fabrication of an

air-crash."

"Since you have given me such exact details, I must believe what you say to be the real truth."

At my request, Yeh promised to bring one of his counterparts serving as Chungking agent during the

war at Dairen. We agreed to meet at the Grand Hotel on the Yuanshan hills from where one could

have the finest view of the Taipei airport.


22/71

(iii)

Yeh introduced his Dairen friend to me as Mr. Ting. We occupied a small corner room of the hotel all

for ourselves. Mr. Ting ordered a double whisky for himself, and talked a while about the Peking and

Shanghai dishes. According to him, Taipei was in miniature what was once the most beautiful in the

Chinese way of life before the Chicom most brutally destroyed it. And suddenly our conversationswitched over to the magic word Bose.

Before setting down in Taipei as a businessman, Mr. Ting had been a glamourous intelligence-man in

the Nationalist Chinese Government until it had to vacate the whole of the Chinese Mainland. He

explained "An intelligence-man must be a jack of all possible trades. Once upon a time, I was a

shoemaker in Calcutta's Bow Bazar. When you have lived in Calcutta before the second world war

and had political inclinations, could you have missed Subhas Chandra Bose's dazzling leadership in

India's fight for freedom? No. So, I became one of his most sincere admirers. Just before the

outbreak of the war, I smuggled myself into Dairen, to spread my intelligence net inside the

Japanese military complex in Manchuria. I opened a beauty salon there and also became the chief

barber for highly placed Japanese officers. It is in this capacity that you may say, I had to work as atriple agent, due to the peculiar position of Dairen."

"How a triple agent?"

"Naturally, I was in Nationalist intelligence service. But the Japanese as well as the Russians too

trusted me for some special type of information. In any case, I have been scrupulously honest

throughout to my own Government. The enemies of my country were never able to deceive or to

buy me up. The Chicom least of all. I hated them and still hate them as the greatest pest of China in

all the ages. Devil take them."

He swore in Russian. When I complimented him for that, he switched over to fluent Russian, theaccent being of that a man hailing from Siberia. Taking a big gulp, he said "So, naturally, when

Subhas Babu landed at Dairen, I was the first to come in closer contact with him. I met him in the

billet-villa of the Japanese dignitaries in transit. It was a Sunday morning. Being an orthodox Catholic,

I was on my way to the church, when a staff car of the Japanese Chief of Staff picked me up. They

told me I had to come with my barber kit on a special mission."

"Your profession came very handy.''

"And whom do I meet in that villa? Shri Subhas Chandra Bose in the full uniform of Netaji.

Innumerable times I had seen his photos in Japanese newspapers in that uniform, so, I had no

difficulty in recognising him. The interval of meeting him personally for me was not very long

about six years. During this period, of course, no hair had grown on his bald forehead. Only the hair

on the back of his head had greyed. As a professional barber, I could see, he needed a haircut very

badly to bring back the natural freshness of the cheerful outlook in his personality."

"You are a good psychologist."

"I reported to him 'Your Excellency! Then immediately corrected myself in Bengali "Netaji:

Asun: Chul Kamie di."

"He must have heard his mother-tongue after a long time."


23/71

"It was so, He smiled typical of him, when he met some old acquaintance 'Tumi Bangla Kothae

Sikhle?' (where did you pick up Bengali). I replied 'Kalkatae'. This credential was enough to gain

his confidence. I was preparing to cover him with an overall, when he asked me in Bengali to switch

on the radio."

Ting repeated "We had an American voice The Japs in China are surrendering by thousands.Russians have captured four Japanese Generals. Netaji enquired "Is Shidei amongst them?" I

could not reply, Netaji himself murmured in Bengali "Fall of Dairen is not far off."

Some visitors to the hotel opened the room we were occupying. A hotel-boy too announced

"Time for dinner, 'Gentlemen."

*******************************************************************************


24/71

8. A 1949 PHOTOGRAPH OF NETAJI

(i)

Not caring much for the dinner, I moved with Ting and Yeh into the glass verandah of the TaipeiGrand Hotel. From there in one view we had the Yuanshan-hill lights, the dazzling airport and car

headlights on the main thoroughfare of the city.

A Jet-liner flickered red, yellow and green lights hovering towards the north. Had my wishes

possessed wings, I would have the very moment flown to Dairen in search of Netaji.

Ordering another double drink for himself, Ting was still in his reminiscent talkative mood. Just to

provoke him to come out with more details, I said "All you say about Netaji sounds phantastic.

Have you any concrete evidence to prove your statement?"

"You want evidence?" He said looking straight at me I have one here. Perhaps it will satisfy you."

He took out his big port-money-bag from his coat pocket fingered through the contents confidently,

took out a photograph, and placing it before me asked "Now, Dr. Sinha; Do you know this man?

Study it minutely."

At the first sight I recognised, it was Subhas Babu. No doubt, itwas he. The highly intelligent, friendly

determined expression and at the same time most careless breaking out smile, askance 'So, that is

that: What of that. It was a 'Sanyasi' in the dress of a Confucius scholar. The inimitable forehead and

the typical Subhasian penetrating eyes made it patent that it was he and no one else.

But it was not as his own countrymen had seen him. Neither was it like the European dressed inBerlin, nor the war days uniformed in the Far-East. It was in an overall peculiar to the Chinese

Confucian sect coming from Manchuria. In the background was the panorama of a port locality,

which Ting said was the harbour of Dairen. Netaji was in an unusually thoughtful mood. The picture

must have been taken with a tele-Iense at a moment when Netaji was not concious that he was

being photographed.

"When was it taken?" I asked.

"In summer 1949."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. That was the year we were leaving mainland. Until that time I was in occasional touch

with Dairen through our agents. And one of those trusted ones sent me this photo of Netaji when he

had fallen already in Russian custody for some months."

''When did you see Netaji last yourself?"

"Christmas 1948. That is the time I was able to escape from Dairen somehow. For three years I lived

in the same city as Netaji, and did my best to keep him not only alive but out of the Russian secret

police.''

"How could you manage it?"


25/71

"I will have to begin my story from Tuesday, August 22, 1945. That is a black letter day in Sino-

Russian affairs."

"Why black letter day?''

"That is the day when the Russian troops entered Dairen. They brutally slaughtered not the Japanese

who fought against them, but the innocent Chinese, their own allies. The Russians publicly molested

our women, looted our possessions and plundered all the factories and machina-ries our city had.

This Russian barbarism towards the Chinese civil population made Netaji change his mind. First he

was thinking of voluntarily contacting Marshal Vassilevski, the Supreme Russian commander in

Manchuria. His idea was to establish his bonafides as fighter for India's freedom, and later on to

secure Russian assistance for his sole objective the independence of India. Without any thought

of personal safety, Netaji's concern throughout had been the continuance of his struggle and the

war for his country's freedom. But the Russian cruelty towards innocent human life made him

change his plans. A few feelers I tried with the Russians did not take us anywhere. The Russian secret

police chief was all in all, and he in no case would have been able to explain his Moscow superiorsthat so famous a 'war-criminal' had been living so long undetected in the city the Russians ruled.

Even before informing Moscow, he would have got Netaji shot. I was sure about it, so, I arranged

that Netaji should hide himself until something was done for him from outside.''

"What is meant by outside?"

"Well, until Netaji's own country took up the matter on the highest diplomatic level."

"But India did not know that Netaji was alive in Dairen?"

"I did my best to communicate this message to them."

"How?"

"I myself took the risk of approaching your Embassy at Nanking, and told them to do something

about Netaji".

"What was their reply?"

"They had turned friendly to the Chinese Communists, believed them alone, to the extent that they

took me to be an agent-provacateur in the pay of the Americans."

"To which particular person in our Nanking Embassy did you give the message about Netaji?"

"After a dozen reduffs and insults, I had succeeded in securing an interview with your military

attache. He was the highest officer of your Embassy, I was able to contact.''

"Do you remember the name of that military attache by any chance?"

"One Brigadier Thakkar he was. Later on, I heard the rumour in Nanking diplomatic circles that

Brigadier Thakkar was severely reprimanded for talking to me.''

"The Brigadier was not in fault."


26/71

"Delhi too charged him of talking to American agent-provacateurs. For this mistake, I am told, the

Brigadier was demoted, humiliated and punished in many other ways.

"Very sad."

"After your country established diplomatic relations with Chicom in Peking, there remained no hopeof Netaji's case being taken up by Delhi."

"How can you conclude that?"

"I was an employee of the Nationalist Chinese Government and the sole source of information about

Netaji. Anything connected with us is taboo for Delhi due to the extraordinary hold and influence of

Chicom on Delhi. I will not be surprised, if it comes out someday that, the Chicom influence has

expedited the deciston of India Government to declare Netaji dead so quickly and foolhardily."

"We are drifting far away from Netaji in person. Can you tell me some more details about his Dairen

life?"

"I shall tell you after we finish our dinner."

(ii)

"Can you giveme that Dairen photo of Netaji?" I asked Mr. Ting innocently.

"Quite out of question. My successor in Dairen who sent me this photo has been murdered by

Chicom agents. Who knows that the Russians would not wipe out quite a number of families friendly

and sympathetic to Netaji, in case the photo falls in Moscow's hands."

"Then why did you show it to me?"

"Otherwise you would have refused to believe that Netaji landed in Dairen instead of crashing at

Taipei, as the India Government would like the people to believe."

"This is something quite sensational for us in India

"Not only for you in India. It is quite a bombshell in Asio-Russian politics.''

"We have drifted again far away from Netaji personally. What happened to him after the Russians

entered Dairen?"

"Russian record in cruelty to the peaceful Chinese civil population compared to Chenghezkhan's

beastialities. So, the best thing for Netaji was to lie low until the hellish waves of Russian victory

celebrations passed over. I requested, and Netaji agreed to change his military dress into a

Confucian scholar's overall. His similarity of face with us came very handy. I took him to the private

temple of a trader friend who looked after him very well, indeed. As his original home we said, he

came from Yuennan on Burma borders and his name was Tao-Lin. Since I had some blank nationalist

Chinese passports with me for emergency uses, I issued one with Netajis photo in the name of Tao-

Lin born in Yuen on 23rd October 1892.

"This way Netaji became a Chinese national?"


27/71

"Under Chinese protection, I would say. Within a few days, on August 26th, 1945 our Government

signed a treaty with Russia regarding Dairen. This treaty declared Dairen a free port, but the

harbourmaster there was to be a Russian. He controled all the exits from Dairen. Russia got the lease

for half of the port, and in case of war, Dairen was to come under the military control of Port Arthur.

The Naval-base was to be used jointly by China and Russia. After the signing of this treaty, we

expected some milder treatment from the Russians. But in any case, Dairen remained a Russianprison camp. To get out of the city or to contact the outside world became very very hard. Netaji

waited in vain for outside help."

"This must have been a great dsappointment to Netaji."

"Surely, it was. He suffered, and could not get out of it. Then, the Russians began checking all the

Chinese nationals and their passports. In this job they were guided by their Chicom allies. Somehow,

so long as I stayed in Dairen, Netaji had not to worry for his safety. But the matters became different

when I succeeded in escaping from there as a sailor on a fishing boat. For Netaji too I had tried this

method of escape, but failed. You need quite a lot of deceit tactics and real wit peculiar to Chinese."

"I understand."

"Then came the great mainland catastrophy in autumn 1949. Our Government had to leave the

mainland and get established on this Formosa island. In the process of shifting much of our secret

files fell in Chicom hands."

"A terrible blow to all nalionalist Chinese throughout the world."

"Netaji also became a victim to this blow."

"What happened to him?"

"When the Chicom secret police turned into the Dairen reports to Nanking, they located my

activities, and also that concerning Netaji. They alerted the Russians about Netaji's presence in

Dairen. Quite soon, Netaji fell in Russian hands."

"What has happened to him since then?"

"It has been most difficult for me to keep track of Dairen from here in Taipei. But I shall give you

some clues, which you should follow, and I do hope, it will help you in your further investigations.

"NETAJI IN RUSSIAN HANDS

" This fact affected my further course of action vitally.

(iii)

Returning to my hotel, I found a bill, which exceeded the small royalty I had secured from my foreign

publishers for my expenses in Formosa. In desperation, I cashed my unused flight ticket to Tokyo, to

pay off my hotel bills.

Then I reported at the airport to catch the first available plane to Hong Kong homewards.

*****************************************************************************


28/71

9. NETAJI'S TESTAMENT ?

(i)

Today it is 26th January 1965. This is the fifteenth anniversary of our Indian Republic day. Three daysago we have celebrated the 68th birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Waking up, I glanced at a three word Russian text: "VOSPOMNICHE MOI JAIHIND" (Remember my Jai

Hind).

It was given to me by army officer on his return from Chicom (Chinese communist) captivity in Tibet.

I wondered whether it was a testament by one of our countrymen in Russian captivity.

(ii

Several years ago, I had a serious disagreement with our then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.He did not trust the blue-prints of the Chicom threat to India's life and liberty I had come across in

Russia and placed before him.

Since I felt strongly on this national issue, and actually indulged in a one man crusade to warn and

prepare our countrymen to defeat the Chicom menace, I had to quit my membership of the Indian

Parliament.

Two years ago, I was put in prison for fighting an all out war against the Chicom forces. Chicom

agents who had infiltrated deep into Indian intelligence and were frustrated by my action on the

lifeline of Indian defences, were instrumental in getting me thrown into a death-cell. Only when

Jawaharlalji intervened on my behalf, I was released.

Let out of the death-cell in the dark night of 31st January 1963, I had felt downhearted as never

before. My fight to save the Himalayas and my own birth place on the Ganga from falling into

Chicom hands, seemed lost.

Besides, during those six weeks of the dungeon torture, they had bruised my very joy of life.

That night I covered myself with a jail blanket full of holes, and trudged through the Hazaribagh

jungles. Ranchi town where they had arrested me from my small home lied 68 miles away. Late at

night, somehow, I managed to reach the road to Ranchi.

After a while, when I stopped a passing vehicle of an army officer, he gave me a lift. Throwing a coat

over my shoulders and guiding my arms into them, he asked "Hungry? Here we have some

sandwiches. Help yourself. Other matters can be settled later on. It's cold outside, and I am told, a

man-eater is also round the corner, though I'm sure even this animal can not be worse than the

Chicom brutes."

At the next petrol pump, he stopped for a refill, and we got ourselves introduced. He was Captain

R..., returning to his unit at Ranchi from Chicom captivity in Tibet. Through my book on the Chinese

aggression I was known to him. Searching his inside pockets, he took out a crumpled sheet, spread it

carefully, and asked "Can you translate this piece in Russian for me?"

This was the three word testament. I enquired"How did you get it?"


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"Under the most unusual circumstances. A Sino-Russian adviser to Chicom forces in Tibet one day

passed it on to me secretly."

A Sino-Russian?"

"Yes. I mean by it someone of Russo-Chinese mixed blood. He came from Dairen, which is marked on

maps as Sino-Soviet territory. Ivan Ling was his name. He said "an Indian who had lived under the

nationalist Chinese protection in Dairen after the Japanese surrender, was handed over to the

Russians when Chicom came to power in Peking."

"What did the Russians do with him?"

"He was taken for interrogation by KGB (Russian secret police) where Ivan had worked as a prison-

warder. Somehow, Ivan became friendly to that Indian who was desperately, but so far

unsuccessfully, trying to come in touch with his own country. When Ivan told him that his duties

were transferred to Chicom inTibet, the Indian requested him to carry his three word message, inthe hope that someday it might reach his homeland."

"Whose message could it be?"

The Captain did not reply.

The same 'testament' has become a constant source of inspiration to me. Ever since I have tried to

locate the author of that testament from Finland to Formosa with all the sincerity and resources at

my command.

(iii)

This year, on 26th January 1965, the local Ranchi army unit had organised.a parade at the foot of the

Tagore hill. Captain R... who was now retired from the service, came from the distinguished

enclosure to greet me "Congratulations for following up Netajis flight to Formosa. I read it in

newspapers on Netaji's birthday."

"But I am still far from locating the author of the testament you gave me."

Let us go to a quiet place to compare our notes."

We climbed together to the shrine at the top of the Tagore-Hill.

Gazing into the rising sun over a distant hill-top, R... remained silent. Then he rose, and rolled down

a loose stone. I enquired Is it an offering to the Sun-God?"

"No." Looking towards the mental asylum in the distance, he said Ive gone crazy."

"A shell-shock?

"No. Through this symbolic act I cast away the weight from my concience."

"What is oppressing you?"


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"It's difficult to explain. There is no end to our misfortunes."

"Once we have defeated Chicom everything will go on well." I tried to console him.

You had translated that testament for me. In my saddest moments I imagine the life of our that

countryman captive in Dairen. His suffering must be a thousand fold more than ours. What right wehave to feel sorry for our here at home?"

(iv)

We remained silent while an aeroplane passed overhead. Captain R... was still agitated. Taking out a

copy of the official Netaji Inquiry Committee Report he said with indignation "I've carefully

compared your accounts about Netaji with this smoke-screen of fraud, confusion and contradictions.

This report shows with clarity how our political leadership, having committed a fateful blunder in

declaring Netaji dead due to their political jealousy and wishful thinking, has attempted to cover up

his further existance. In this process they have degraded and sunk the very conception of impartial

inquiry into fraud and forgery."

Reminding me of Emile Zola, Captain R... made several specific accusations in relation to the Netaji

affairs, the last being "I accuse the Netaji Inquiry Committee of having violated all human

considarations in deliberately declaring a lie that Netaji was dead, when all objective investigations

point out the truth that Netaji became a Russian captive at Dairen. The evidence in this connection I

have brought back my own Chicom captivity in Tibet, is designed to hasten the explosion of truth

and justice about Netaji. Let them court-marshal me. It will come out that not I but the very best

traditions of Indian fighting forces of which Netaji has become a symbol, has been branded before

the world as dead and gone. This is perhaps the most notorious miscarriage of justice in our national

affairs since we have become free.

"Someday the truth about Netaji is bound to explode."

"By itself in usual course it will not. Some heroes and patriots, the true followers of Netaji will have

to risk everything to fight for the restoration of Netaji's right place in our national records, to absolve

the very conscience of India."

We descended from the hill-top. Half way was a solitary house built under the shade of a big tree.

About fifty years ago, Jyotirindranath Tagore, the elder brother of Rabindranath had built it. Captain

R... reminded me "Do you know! Gurudev had once hailed Subhas as the one who would

reawaken India."

*******************************************************************************


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10. WRONG TO NETAJI MUST BE RECTIFIED

The Formosa documents and other materials concernig Netaji I came across are substantially

supported by the accounts of our officers who have come back from Chicom captivity in Tibet.

Numerous Europeans returning home from their Siberian captivity since 1945, have also broughtback some very important details. In comparison to such evidence, the Netaji Inquiry Committee

Reports of the government of India at the very first glance fades into insignificance, irrelevant and

misleading wastepaper dirt. If ever put in court the Shah Nawaz farce would inevitably blow up in his

face. It is rather surprising that no attempts have been made so far to actually blow it off. The reason

to stop it has been Jawaharlals personality so long as he lived, and after his death his personality-

cult built up by his followers. But for this factor, the truth about Netaji should have come out in the

full light of day long ago. The obvious and most reasonable venue for starting an inquiry about Netaji

is Taipei on Formosa island, where one has even today eye witnesses who have seen Subhas Babu

after the faked air-disaster in 1945. The Chinese republic of Generalissimo Chiang-Kai-shek took over

the possession of Formosa after the Japanese surrender in 1945, and it was that government which

ruled the Chinese mainland untill the autumn of 1949. Therefore, one cannot think of any Inquiryabout Netaji without taking into consideration the records of the Formosa government.

If Jawaharlal Nehru had cared to take any personal interest in favour of Netaji's case, it would have

been the easiest thing to find out the truth about him. From Jawaharlal's book "A bunch of old

letters", we find, he was in closest touch with Generalissimo Chiang-Kai shek long before the

Congress government came in power under his leadership. Jawaharlal was one of the first persons to

congratulate the Generalissimo upon the surrender of Japan. The Generalissimo immediately

telegraphed his gratitude through his office of the Commissioner of the Republic of China in New

Delhi. This telegram is dated August 22, 1945. News of Netaji's death reached the outside world on

August 21st when the facts of the faked accident were broadcast from Delhi. Jawaharlal's exchange

of telegrms with China was about the same time as the death story was flashed in India. If Jawaharlalwanted there was nothing to stop him from making a personal request to the Generalissimo to verify

the authenticity of Netaji's death, which anyway, was not belived by many in India. Far from taking

trouble to get it verified, Jawaharlal eversince became the most outstanding personality in India who

himself believed the death story and tried to convince others about it. In this respect he went so far

that while replying to innocent queries inparliament, he could never hide that he was 'allergic' to

the name of Subhas Bose. This deep-rooted allergy in him has also been imbibed by his closeassociates even this day, making it difficult if not impossible to bring out the real truth about Netaji.

Going through the lastavailable correspondence between Jawaharlal and Subhas, we do find some

tinge of Jawaharalal's allergy towards Subhas. In his letter dated March 28, 1939, Subhas bitterly

complained to Jawahar "It never struck you that you want us to forget persons, only when certainpersons are concerned. When it is a case of Subhas Bose... you run down personalities and lionise

principles etc." '

Subhas Babu's words have come out prophetic. When Jawaharlal was hard pressed by public opinion

to inquire into the death story of Subhas Bose, Jawaharlals lofty foreign affairs principles made it a

taboo. In his turn Subhas was quite clear on this point, and he wrote to Jawahar "Foreign policy is

a realistic affair to be determined largely from the point of view of a nation's self-interest... what is

your foreign policy, pray? Frothy sentiments and pious platitudes do not make foreign policy."

When Jawaharlal became India's Prime cum foreign minister, it was precisely his peculiar foreign

policy which has condemned Subhas Babu's brilliant contributions to the cause of the country into

oblivion. Subhas had written to Jawahar "It is no use condemning countries like Germany and Italy


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on the one hand and on the other, giving a certificate of good conduct to British and French

imperialism." While in power, Jawaharlal throughout condemned countries like Germany and

America and gave a certificate of good conduct to Russian and Chinese imperialism of the postwar

period. His treatment to Formosa Government was always contemptuous. As a contrast no other

Prime Minister in the wide world ever praised Chicom so highly as did Jawaharlal Nehru.

Subhas Babu became the first victim of Jawaharlal's China policy, and as time passed, this turned out

a serious threat to India's territorial integrity and to the life and liberty of it's very people.

(ii)

Just after he had established his Government, Mao-Tse-tung went to Stalin for finalising an

expansionist joint attack in the general direction of the Indian Ocean. A treaty of alliance was signed

directed against India, Japan and America. Besides this, an interim arrangement was made by which

Russia continued to enjoy for a time it's control of Dairen, where Netaji had taken shelter with the

connivance of the Chinese nationalist Government. About this time the nationalist secret files too

fell in Chicom hands, and they came to know about Netaji's presence in Dairen. At once Chicombetrayed the secret to the Russians. For both Russia and Chicom Netaji was an enemy, because he

had joined hands with Hitler and Japan to achieve India's independence. But they dared not harm his

person, for the simple reason that it suited them better to keep him as a pawn to put pressure on

India for concessions of vital military gains to them.

The Formosa accounts leave no doubt that Jawaharlal must have come to know about Netaji's

refuge in Dairen through his Nanking Military attach Brigadier Thakkar. But he did not care to

believe it, not to speak of intervening and getting Netaji repatriated. He rather indulged in his 'frothy

sentiments and pious platitudes' with Chicom. Added to it were his contempt for Formosa and

allergy towards Subhas, both very cleverly inspired and fomented by Russo-Chicom intelligence

interests.

For not taking up Netaji's case, and taking it as Americo-Formosan 'provocative' move as advised by

Chicom agents in Delhi, Jawaharlal found it expedient as a pretence to adamently persist in taking it

granted that Netaji was dead. Accordingly, the Delhi External Affairs and intelligence department's

files had to be rearranged to declare the Netaji affair a closed chapter. The so called Leftist

associates of Jawaharlal serving the government or in public life put a final to bury Netajis records

altogether.

Here, we are again reminded of Subhas' letter to Jawahar"Of course, if I am such a villain it is not

your right but also your duty to expose me before the public. But perhaps it will strike you that the

devil...must have some saving grace. He must have rendered some service to the cause of thecountry in spite of tremendous odds.

These words of Netaji will remain a constant urge and inspiration to Indian people to demand from

those in power to re-inquire Netaji affairs.

After all, it would not have cost anything to the country or to Jawaharlal to inqtiire from Moscow

regarding Netaji's refuge in Dairen. Living with a forged passport does not denationalise Netaji as an

Indian.

In India, not many people know the heaviest odds and the hard lot a banished person has to face.

There are rare individuals in our country, of which I am one, who have experienced those horrible

nightmares. It is ignorance on this account which prompts our friends well placed in their armchairs


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to ask naively"If Netaji was alive in Dairen why did not come back to India? After all Russians are

our best friends."

The only reasonable reply to this question is "History and experience has shown that only for

those rare individuals it has been possible to come out the most horrid Russian dungeons, whose

homeland people had remembered and fought for them. India has not fought for Netaji not evenenqired about him so far."

In such cases, it is worthwhile to observe how other countries have handled problems where their

own nationals were affected. For our country we have Netaji's and very few other cases. The

Germans had about a million such cases. The German public opinion has succeeded indeputing their

Chancellor Adenauer to Stalin for getting German nationals in Russian captivity repatriated. As a

result, not one or two, but several hundred thousand Germans have returned home from Russian

captivity. The number of those who were declared dead and even then returning home also runs in

hundred thosands. Had the German people not pressed for it, not many Germans would have

returned from Russian captivity. The sweet will of the Russians or the captive's own ingenuity have

not succeeded yet in returning home of a captive.

For us, a demand to enquire from the Russians about our Netaji is not of an academic interest. Why

our Prime Minister should not be deputed like Adenauer? This is the time to follow Netaji's correct

direction "Foreign affairs is a realistic affair to be determined largely from the point of view of a

nation's self-interest."

Chances are, where Jawaharlal's foreign policy has failed, Netaji's may bring out good results.

*********************************************************************************


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11. THE BETRAYAL TO NETAJf.

(i)

A number of friends ask "Even if we take it for granted that Netaji did not in plane crash and livedin Dairen, what is the use of your reviving Netaji affairs if he is not returning to us in any case?"

Such questions arise due to our slave mentality, a heritage of British domination and a most selfish

outlook of life. No living creature is more to be pitied than the man who thinks that his personal

interests alone constitute the centre of the cosmos.

Concerning Netaji, such questions amount to an expression of betrayal to him.

One of my lawyer friends, a distinguished member of the Parliament, whom I asked to raise Netaji's

question from the floor of the House, and to demand that Mr. Shastri should make enquiries about

him during his coming visit to Russia, was taken aback by my extraordinary request. He retorted"Since Subhas Babu did not turn up amongst us for so many years, in the eyes of law he must be

considered definitely dead, and thus, the Netaji affair can not be reopened."

netaji mystery - satyanarain singha

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