British probed Netaji plane crash three times, says book

The British considered iconic leader “Netaji” Subhas Chandra Bose an enemy in the years before independence, and spared no efforts to ascertain and establish his alleged death in the plane crash on August 18, 1945, in Taipei, a new book on the controversial subject says.

The book, Laid to Rest: The Controversy over Subhas Chandra Bose’s Death, by Londonbased journalist Ashis Ray seeks to add to the conclusion that Bose indeed died in the crash, and cites several documents to back his claim, including some lesser-known reports. It is scheduled to be released in New Delhi on February 12. Ray said the first British probe into the crash was led by TS Finney, a superintendent of police in colonial India, in 1945. His team had died as a result of an air tragedy,” the book states.

On December 31, 1945, the British Combined Services Detailed Interrogation Centre in India submitted its report after interviewing Col Habibur Rehman, Netaji’s aide-de-camp who survived the crash.

It said Rehman “remained with Bose from the time of crash until death of Bose at about 2100 hours that night, Tokyo time”. Finally, book says Lt Col John Figgess, a British officer based in Tokyo, cross-examined Japanese officials connected with the crash, including the two survivors, Lt Col Shiro Nonogaki and Lt Col Tadeo Sakai, and Toyoshi Tsurita, doctor who principally treated Bose at a Japanese military hospital before he passed away.