RTI makes PMO release info about "Panditji's file" on Netaji

But no clue who ordered its destruction & why

Press Release | 18 September 2007

A CIC decision has led to partial disclosure by the PMO of papers
relating to the destruction of an alleged file on the enquires made by
former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru about the whereabouts of Subhas
Chandra Bose. The bunch comprises notes from secret files, letter by
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and recent correspondence between
Mukherjee Commission and Prime Minister's Office under Atal Bihari
Vajpayee.

A selection of the papers provided to Mission Netaji can be seen here.

File 12(226)/56-PM titled Investigation into the circumstances leading
to the death of Subhas Bose was described by Justice Mukherjee
Commission of Inquiry (1999-2005) as one which could have been of
"great assistance" in resolving the controversy surrounding Bose's
disappearance. It was destroyed "during routine process of
review/weeding of old records" -- as Kamal Dayani, PMO's Central
Public Information Officer, informed Anuj Dhar of Mission Netaji in
September last year.

Dhar took the matter to Central Information Commission (CIC). Last
month, Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah directed the
Prime Minister's Office to provide certain documents identified by
Dhar. The PMO obliged, and so the contours of a shocking tale emerge.

In April 1957, more than ten years after the reported death of Subhas
Bose, a file was opened in what was then called the Prime Minister's
Secretariat. The file was suddenly destroyed in March 1972. Grapevine
had it that it was done at the behest of PN Haksar, Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi's all-powerful PS. The timing of the destruction clashed
with the ongoing judicial inquiry of GD Khosla. Strangely, Khosla, a
flamboyant friend of Pt Nehru's, went on to write in his report that
the "unwanted" file was "destroyed to lighten the burden of the record
rooms".

In contrast, Mukherjee, a former Supreme Court judge known for his
expertise in criminal law, forced the issue of destroyed Netaji
records with the PMO. They were asked to furnish the copies of the
order regarding the destruction as well as "authenticated Xerox copies
of the Rules and Procedures prescribed for destruction of files".

In response, the PMO Director wrote that "no order as such ... could
be located" and could only provide "the relevant page of the File
Register showing destruction of the file in 1972". The same has been
given to Mission Netaji under RTI along with page No 151/C of
classified PMO file 2(64)/56-70 PM, Vol-V. The documents give no clue
as to who could have ordered the destruction and for what reason.
Another PMO letter stated that the Commission may "acquaint themselves
with the destruction procedure of files in Govt of India offices" as
laid down in Manual of Office Procedure.

Mission Netaji traced the Manual of circa 1972 and found that official
files in those days were recorded in three categories. "Class A" files
or the "records fit for permanent preservation" included "files of
historical importance" -- those "relating to a well-known public or
international event or cause celebre, or to other events which gave
rise to interest or controversy on the national plane". The question
of destruction of such files under any "review and weeding of records"
did not arise before 25 years and prior consultation with the National
Archives of India.

File 12(226)/56-PM seemed to have been shredded hurriedly and
unlawfully. Why? Mukherjee Commission queried PMO on May 23, 2000 to
disclose "the subject and contents of the above file and the
circumstances under which the said file had been destroyed". PMO
replied that the file "contained agenda paper/cabinet decision" which
could be procured for the Cabinet Secretariat as "records of Cabinet
proceedings are kept permanently in Cabinet Secretariat"

. But
Commission got nothing from Cabinet Secretariat. Ditto for Mission
Netaji, whose RTI request was transferred to the PMO.

The released papers further disclose that former Prime Minister Indira
Gandhi reasoned in 1974 that the "file was destroyed only because it
contained copies". "I can assure you that this file (12(226)/56-PM)
contained only copies of certain documents which are still available
in other files, she wrote to late MP Samar Guha who had wondered
"whether such a vital file has been destroyed or withheld".

But, the papers show, this logic too worn thin as the PMO was unable
to prove the veracity of former Prime Minister's assertion by
providing documents supporting her contention.

"The impunity with which such an important file seems to have been
destroyed raises a big question mark on the accountability of our
political establishment and bureaucracy," remarks Mission Netaji's
Chandrachur Ghose.

Who are behind this and why is it important to know what happened to
Netaji?

Back to RTI crusade homepage