Intelligence Bureau shared Netaji's family details with Britain's MI5: Report

New Delhi, April 12: The Jawaharlal Nehru Government not only spied on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's family but also shared the confidential information with British Security Service (MI5).

According to report in Times of India, declassified documents reveal that IB shared with MI5 a letter between close Netaji aide AC Nambiar and nephew Amiya Nath Bose acquired through "secret censorship".

The development came two days after media reports revealed that former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru spied on Bose's family for two decades from 1948 to 1968.

It is reported that in a letter written on October 6, 1947, IB official SB Shetty sought "comments" of MI5 security liaison officer KM Bourne posted in Delhi referencing a letter written by Nambiar to Amiya Bose on August 19, 1947.

"The attached is a letter dated the 19.8.47 from AC Nambiar, Limmatquai 80, Zurich, Switzerland to Amiya Nath Bose, 1 Woodburn Park, P O, Elgin Road, Calcutta. The letter was seen during secret censorship and was passed on. We should be grateful for your comments on the letter," the note has been quoted as saying in the TOI report.

In response, Bourne forwarded Nambiar's letter enclosing his request for further information to MI5 director general the next day itself. Dated October 7, 1947, Bourne's letter says, "Any comments you may make on this letter will be appreciated."

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a recent RTI reply accepted that there were 41 files related to Netaji, of which two had been declassified, but refused to disclose the others, arguing that the "disclosure would prejudicially affect relations with foreign countries".

A host of Netaji's descendants, enthusiasts and historians and organisations have been campaigning for declassification of secret files claimed to be in possession of various government departments.

Mukherjee Commission report denied Netaji's death in plane crash.

Justice Manoj Mukherjee led Committee was appointed in 1999 to inquire into the controversy surrounding the death of Subhas Chandra Bose.

The Committee submitted its report in 2006 saying that Bose did not die in the alleged air crash of 1945. Calling for further investigation into the matter, the report did not comment on his alleged stay in Russia after 1945. This was not the first committee formed to investigate the murder mystery.

Two other committees Shah Nawaz Committee, Khosla Commission were also formed by former Prime Ministers Jawahar Lal Nehru and Indira Gandhi respectively. The Khosla Commission created by the government of Indira Gandhi reported that all the documents relating to Subhas Chandra Bose were either missing or destroyed .

OneIndia News