Kolkata, 13 March (H.S.): Chandra Kumar Bose, grandnephew of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and a former Bharatiya Janata Party leader, has alleged that Netaji’s historic cap has gone missing from the Netaji Museum located inside the Red Fort complex in New Delhi.

In a post on X on Thursday night, Bose claimed that he, along with members of his family, had personally handed over Netaji’s cap to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Prime Minister had placed the cap in the Netaji Museum at the Red Fort on January 23, 2019, on the occasion of Netaji Jayanti.

He further stated that Advocate Naveen Bamel, associated with the Open Platform for Netaji, had recently visited the museum and found that the glass box where the cap had been kept was empty. Officials of the Archaeological Survey of India were also unable to clarify its whereabouts, he alleged.

Describing the matter as serious, Bose said Netaji is among the tallest leaders of the country and the disappearance of such a historic artefact is highly embarrassing. He urged the Prime Minister to intervene and order an inquiry into the matter.

He also said that if the historic item has indeed been misplaced, it would amount to an act of disrespect.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a writ petition seeking directions to bring back the mortal remains of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from Japan to India. After a Bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant expressed disinclination to hear the matter, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for petitioner Ashish Ray, sought permission to withdraw the plea.

The court was informed that Netaji’s daughter would file a fresh petition on the issue. The Bench subsequently dismissed the matter as withdrawn.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh