7. Some Theories and Hypotheses

7.1 1 shall now deal with the other versions about Bose's whereabouts and the various stories that were naratted in the course of this inquiry, to disprove the allegation of his death at Taipei are many witnesses who severally claim to have seen, met or talked to Bose at various times and places long after August 18, 1945. These encounters are said to have taken place sometimes in an aura of mystery, of something secret and clandestine yet scarcely concealed from the public gaze or public knowledge. At other times Bose is said to have appeared in public places amidst crowds, exposing himself to persons who could have recognised him, but singularly failed to identify him. The sum told of the evidence of these witnesses would seem to be that Bose, the great leader of men, the courageous fighter, the extrovert and a vociferous propagandist has now been metamorphosed into a strangely shy individual who frequently changes his guise and personality, moving from place to place, never making himself truly manifest, never openly declaring his identity, but suggesting it by means of peculiarly subtle and equivocal innuendoes and arcane gestures and expressions.

7.2 The case of the Baba of Shaulmari Ashram has already been discussed in detail while examining Uttam Chand Malhotra's evidence. Of the numerous other stories one is that Bose was seen by Mr. Devun Sen, M. P. at Marseilles in 1946. Devun Sen is no longer alive. But his story is related by two witnesses: Mukand Parekh (witness No. 173) and Chaplakant Bhattacharya (W. No. 177)

7.3 Mukand Parekh was Personal Assistant to Mr. Devun Sen, who was a Member of Parliament from 1967 to 1971. He says that Mr. Devun Sen went to France in 1946. Many years later, Devun Sen again went abroad. And when he came back, Parekh questioned him. His story is as follows:

7.4 The story of this encounter should have been related to Bose's near relatives, particularly his brother, Sarat Chandra Bose. With this aspect of the question the witness dealt with as follows:

It was in 1970, long after the Commission had been appointed that this story first saw the light of day. It was never mentioned before the Shah Nawaz Committee.

7.5 The interval of 24 years between the strange encounter at Marseilles and its narration in public is nothing short of astonishing. There was no reason at all why the matter should have been kept secret. Also it is clear that Mr. Sen had not met Bose in person for he said Bose looked like a European whereas in actual fact Bose's wheat coloured complexion and the cast of his features were typically Indian. No one could have mistaken him for a European, certainly not one of his own countrymen.

7.6 Chaplakant Bhattacharyya repeats the same story. He says:

"Mr. Sen mentioned to me about this when both of us were in the Lok Sabha. Mr. Sen had gone to Marseilles under a group of labour leaders, and there, when changing the plane, they had gone to the airport restaurant where we had some refreshments...Mr. Sen mentioned specifically the name of Mr. Joglekar as being with him and the narration that I had from him was like this. While .he was sitting he suddenly observed that a man in military attire was scrutinising him very closely. He looked up and realised that he was Netaji. Of course, the first simple thing in him was to speak to him, but as he moved, Netaji raised his forefinger and pressed it on his lips just forbidding any disclosure of his familiarity. In that way I saw that. Afterwards when they went to the bathroom both he and Joglekar, one after another, when coming out of the bathroom, they found the same figure standing near the passage of the bathroom with his forefinger placed on his lips. That is why they did not approach him. But the recognition of the person being Netaji was separately and individually done by Joglekar and Devun Sen. Mr. Devun Sen had been to the bath room first and he was coming out. As he was coming out, Mr. Joglekar was following him and it is Mr. Joglekar who called Mr. Devun Sen and said: What is it that you have seen? He said: Have you not seen that Netaji is standing there; And then Mr. Devun Sen advised Mr. Joglekar not to create a row about it; it might lead to very undesirable consequences and so that is how they stopped."

Mr. Devun Sen and Mr. Joglekar are both dead arid their story is no more than hearsay evidence. The story itself does not carry conviction.

7.8 Mr. Chaplakant Bhattacharyya deposes to another dramatic incident which took place some time after partition one summer. Mr Bhattacharyya was then the Editor of Ananda Bazar Patrika. His story is:

"It was after partition and it was summer. At that time the Ananda Bazar Patrika office was situated in Burman Street, not in its present building near Chowringhee. The Editor's room was on the second floor. That was the top most floor of the building. My room was rather a long room with three doors, and bacause of summer, the door in front of me was closed; the door next to it was also closed and the farthest door was left open. It was about 1 P.M. Suddenly I heard the sound of wooden sandals entering from the farthest door. As I was waiting to receive the person coming, two young men came before me. One was in full military attire and the other was dressed like a Sanyasi, very young in age, and he had all the requirements of Sanyasi and bhasma (ashes) was there; the deer-skin was there; kamandal was there. I was taken by surprise at such a combination appearing at such an hour and I asked him what is that you want from me. They said, Sir, we are coming from Japan. We got down at Dum Dum and are coming straight to you. I said: 'What is the matter?' and they said we have a message from Netaji which we have been asked to deliver to you. My Lord, this was a very surprising experience, unexpected experience for which no one was prepared at this time. So, I told them - I scrutinised the two young men very carefully and then I told them 'unless you can give me some proof that you are coming from Netaji, how can you expect that I will talk with you about him, or is it in the message that you say you are bringing from him to me?' They said: 'We have a letter.' I said: 'Kindly show the letter. I shall see the date at the top and the signature at the bottom. I don't want to see the text. I know his signature very well. I can easily find out.' They said: 'The letter is meant for Sarat Bose and unless we get Sarat Bose's permission we cannot show you the letter.' I said: 'Then you have got to see Mr. Sarat Bose first and then come to me if you so choose.' After that they left. I was expecting for some days for them to come back to me, but they did not appear. That was a strange experience which has remained unexplained to me even up to now. Why the two persons came, what did they bring and why did they not come again? This happened in the office of the Ananda Bazar Patrika. Then I enquired from the staff working downstairs and they told me that the two young men had come and 'we directed them to you.' This is the experience that I have about this matter. They never came back."

Unless this is a figment of the witness's imagination or hallucination on his part, the visit of the two young men to the witness must be looked upon as nothing more than a practical joke. When questioned about informing Sarat Bose of this encounter he said:

"Somehow I did not contact Mr. Sarat Bose immediately. I left it for some time later, and after a year or a little more, Mr. Bose passed away."

The incident, the witness said, must have taken place in the year 1948 or 1949. But the witness never spoke to any one about it. He was shown the letter Bose was alleged to have written to his brother. The two visitors apparently never went to Sarat Bose. Only a fool or an extremely gullible person can believe Bhattacharya's story or accept it as proof of Bose being alive in 1948.