How the story of Netaji’s “Last Testament”,Casts Doubts On The Theory Of His Death In A Plane Crash.

Note: The entire report of the Shah-Nawaz Committee and the evidence of all the witnesses before it can be accessed from:

https://www.netajipapers.nic.in/node/142?view=papers

Wether or not Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose the uncompromising Indian Revolutionary and Leader, died in a plane crash is one of the greatest mystery of modern India, nevertheless since Independence our successive governments have vouched that the story of Netaji’s death in a plane crash on 18th of August,1945,in Taiwan is a fact. However counter arguments,claims were nevertheless given for decades against the government’s view. Many who doubted the story of Netaji’s death in a plane crash pointed out the number of contradictions in the evidence put forward by the plane crash theorists. When one goes through these contradictions one’s eyebrow would no doubt rise in suspicion about the authenticity of the statements made by various eye-witnesses who deposed before the committee&commissions of inquires and investigations carried out by war time Intelligence agencies. In this particular article we will be focussing on one such small but crucial aspect of this entire story of Netaji’s death in a plane crash.

Many of the witnesses connected with the entire story of Netaji’s Last movements and alleged death and otherwise appeared before the Shah-Nawaz Committee, a committee appointed by the Government of India under the chairmanship of Shah Nawaz Khan due to public pressure on 5th April 1956, the objective of the Committee was:

"To enquire into and to report to the

Government of India on the circumstances concerning the departure of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from Bangkok about the 16th August 1945, his alleged death as a result of an air craft accident, and subsequent developments connected therewith." [ Report of The Shah-Nawaz Committe, page no. II]

Cutting the very long story short in very brief, Netaji arrived in Bangkok with Col. Habibur Rehman,

Col. Pritam Singh, S.A. Ayer and the
Japanese Interpreter Negishi on the afternoon of 16th August 1945. A small number of

civil and Military Advisers and officers were selected by Netaji to accompany him. These were :-

Col. Habibur Rehman

Major Abid Hasan

Col. Pritam Singh

Col. Gulzara Singh

Debnath Das, and

S.A. Ayer

Two planes were arranged to take the party to Saigon( Hoi Chi Minh City), On morning 17th of August 1945, Netaji and his party arrived at Bangkok aerodrome.
The party travelled in two aeroplanes and arrived safely at Saigon.

Now the most important part of the story comes, at Saigon only one additional seat besides Netaji was available in a bomber plane & there were many army officers of the INA and trusted men but Netaji had to choose one out of them, and Netaji selected Col. Habibur Rehman to accompany him. This assumes great significance, this particular event shows that it was Habibur Rehman whom probably Netaji trusted the most out of all. Habibur Rheman was a Senior Staff Officer in the INA and had been in close touch to Netaji. Habibur Rehman and Netaji boarded the bomber plane at Saigon aerodrome.

In the morning of 18th August the plane carrying Netaji,Habibur Rheman and other Japanese officers took off (from Tourane where they had rested for a night) and landed at Taihoku(Taiwan) aerodrome at about 2 p.m. they had a light lunch,while that time the plane was being refueled.

Everyone got into the plane again and according to Habibur Rehman they were:

“not more than 5 or 6 minutes in the air and the plane was still gaining height when suddenly I heard a deafening noise as if some cannon shell had hit the starboard side of

the plane…… the plane started wobbling with nose its downwards and I heard a wailing noise usually

heard at the time the plane makes a nose dive. My immediate reaction was to cover my face with both hands and at that time our heads were down -wards and I remember having been struck by the packages at my back. Within a few seconds the plane crashed on the ground and its fore -portion of the plane split and caught fire. Netaji turned towards me. I said," Please get out through the front; there is no way in the

rear". ("AUGAY SAY NIKAEAY PICHAY SAY RASTA NAHIN HAY").

We could not get back through the entrance door as it was all blocked and jammed by boxes and other things. So Netaji got out through the fire; actually he rushed through the

fire.”

Outside the plane Netaji’s clothes were on fire, Rehman quickly ran towards Netaji, he felt a great difficulty in unfastening his bush shirt belt. Netaji was wearing the khaki drill with no sweater on him, Rehman then laid Netaji on the ground and himself lay on his side. Netaji enquired Rehman " AP KO ZAIADA TOU NAHIN LAGI ", Rehman replied that he felt he will be alright, Netaji then said that he felt he would not survive, Rehman replied “Oh! No, God will spare

you ". I am sure you will be alright." and then Bose replied “No, I

don’t think so."

After all this,just like the end of a very dramatic scene, Netaji said:

" When you go back to the country, tell the people ,that up to the last I have been fighting for liberation of my country, they should continue to struggle and I am sure India will be free before long. No body can keep

India in bondage now.”

Unfortunately if we believe Habibur Rehman’s statement before the Shah-Nawaz Committee quoted above(image provided) this came to be Netaji’s last testament for the people of India which he gave lying down on the ground just after the air crash because after this Netaji and Rheman were removed in a lorry and taken to the nearest hospital which was an Air Force Military Hospital. Netaji was concious when he was brought in the lorry but was in “acute pain”, he was then taken to the Operation theater and after coming out he was completely unconscious and after a few hours, he met his death.

So,if we believe Habibur Rehman, even when he was in pain after recieving serious burn injuries, lying on the open ground where the plane crashed alongside Rehman, he still in his last message was thinking about the Freedom of India that India will be free and people of our country should continue the struggle. The Shah-Nawaz Committee Report too while commenting on this issue went on into complete emotional melodrama.

“In a way this was Netaji’s last testament and very characteristic of him. It was in keeping with the oath he took to fight for the independence of India till his last breath when he established

the Provisional Government of Azad Hind on 21st October, 1943.” [Shah-Nawaz Committe Report, page no. 36]

Now here comes a big problem which the Shah-Nawaz Committee Report never highlighted.

ANNEXURE I of the report contains the statement of Col. Habibur Rehman recorded in Taihoku(Taiwan) on 24th of August 1945, that is 6 days after the alleged death of Netaji.

In that entire statement, the story of Netaji’s last testament delivered when Rehman and Netaji were lying on the ground just after the air crash and the medical help taking them to the hospital was yet to arrive, is completely missing, there is no trace of it! Instead what was stated by Rehman brings out a mind-boggling contradiction:

“Within 15 minutes we were rushed to the nearest Nippon Army hospital. It was about 15.00 hrs at the time….. Netaji was given immediate medical attention but his condition was very serious….. Prior to his death he was

in his senses and was quite calm….Prior to his death he told me that his end was near and asked me to convey a message from him to our countrymen to the following effect:-

"I have fought to the last for India’s Independence and now am giving my life in the same attempt. Countrymen! Continue the Independence fight. Before long India will be free. Long Live Azad Hind.”

On 7th September 1945, Habibur Rehman met S.A. Ayer(Minister for Publicity and Propaganda in the

Provisional Government of Azad Hind.) in Tokyo. Again in contradiction to his statement before the Shah-Nawaz Committee, Habib had told S.A. Ayer that Netaji gave out his last message just before his death in Nippon Military Hospital, This is what S.A. Iyer’s deposition before the Shah-Nawaz Committe on 11th April, 1956 based on what Habibur Rehman told him in Tokyo reads (which is nothing but an extract from Ayer’s book “Unto him a Witness, The Story Of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose In East Asia”)

“I found out later that within 15 minutes of the crash; military ambulances had rushed us

to the hospital in Taihoku city. Netaji lost consciousness almost immediately after reaching the hospital….. He was convinced

that he was not going to survive. A moment before his end came,he said to me "Habib; my end is coming very soon. I have fought all my life for my country’s freedom. I am dying for my country’s freedom go and tell my countrymen to continue the
fight for India’s freedom. India will be free and before
long". These were the last words he spoke to me.”

Habibur Rehman came back to India in November 1945, and was interrogated by CSDIC ( Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre) which was carrying out an investigation in total secrecy into Netaji’s death, this was headed by Combined Section head and IB Deputy Director W McK Wright. He was
assisted by fellow IB Deputy Director WNP Jenkin.After the Interrogation A report(CSDIC (India) report No 2, section report No 1156 dated 31 December 1945.) was prepared this is what the report reads about Netaji’s last message or last testament,B1269(code name for Habibur Rheman):

“rushed towards Bose to help him

and finally succeded in beating out the flames,In doing so,B1269 received severe burns on both

his hands… Bose lay for a while on the ground quiet with eyes closed. His last words were in Hindustani “I feel that I
shall die. I have fought for Indian Independence until the last. Tell my countrymen,India will be free before long….. Within 10 minutes, a First Aid party arrived in lorries, and Bose and B1269 were removed in one of the lorries to the Army Hospital a short distance from the scene of accident.”

The report is available in Ministry of Home Affairs File No. I/12014/13/2000-IS(D-III) Vol 1. which can be accessed from:

http://www.netajipapers.gov.in/node/167?view=papers

So, Yet again Habibur Rehman contradicted himself and this time around November-December 1945, he told his interrogating officers that Netaji gave his last message just after the air crash when he was lying down on the ground after recieving serious burn injuries.

If we sum-up the information on record.

• 24th August, 1945 - Netaji gave his last message just before his death in a Hospital.
• 7th September, 1945 - Netaji gave his last message just before his death in a Hospital.
• Around December, 1945- Netaji gave his last message just after the plane crashed while he was lying on the ground alongside Habib almost 10 minutes before they were removed in a lorry and taken to the Hospital.
• 9th April, 1956 — Netaji gave his last message just after the plane crashed while he was lying on the ground alongside Habib almost 10–15 minutes before they were removed in a lorry and taken to the Hospital.

Questionable Role of The Shah-Nawaz Committee

The Shah-Nawaz Committee which was enquiring into this matter has a very questionable role on the points highlighted above. The Committee was in possesion with:

• Col. Habibur Rehman’s statement recorded in Taiwan on 24th of August 1945.
• The Evidence of S.A. Ayer before the Committe on 11th April, 1956.
• The CSDIC report quoted above.
• The Evidence of Col. Habibur Rehman on 9th April, 1956.

Despite the fact that keeping all these statements side by side on Netaji’s last message or “last testament” the mind-boggling contradiction in the statements emerges,Shah-Nawaz Committee never addressed this issue in it’s main report, if the story would have been till not being addressed there would not have been much of a problem but not only did the Shah-Nawaz Committee never addressed this problem it also added a very dramatic statement creating an emotional melodrama which would lead to normal people believing in it and here lies the problem. When this particular instance is viewed in the entire context of the case, that is how Shah-Nawaz Committee added such emotional angles in other parts of the report & how it tried to cover-up the big loopholes in the evidence of various witnesses by adding nonsensical arguments that witnesses are giving the evidence after 11 years of the incident,hence there are minor discrepancies in their statements, even though we saw how Rehman changed his stand on Netaji’s last message within 2–3 months,that is from 24th August and 7th September to December 1945 and be it 11 years or 50–60 years can a man show this much of a contradiction regarding the last message or the last words of his supreme commander,a VIP?

Hence, in conclusion I would like to state that the story of Netaji’s “last testament” casts doubts on the theory of his death in a plane crash.