Supreme Court allows withdrawal of plea to bring back Netaji’s mortal remains from Tokyo temple

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday (March 12, 2026) allowed veteran journalist and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s grand-nephew Ashis Ray to withdraw his petition seeking to facilitate repatriation or extradition of the remains of the freedom fighter and founder of the Indian National Army from a temple in Tokyo.

A three-judge Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M. Pancholi conveyed to senior advocate AM Singhvi, appearing for Mr. Ray, that it would prefer to have Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji’s sole heir and daughter, approach him directly with prayer.

“I am grateful to the Supreme Court of India for graciously hearing my petition seeking directions for bringing the body of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from Tokyo to India. I respect the court’s view that it would prefer to hear direct submissions in the matter from Netaji’s daughter and sole heir, Professor Anita Bose Pfaff. Therefore, I will request Professor Bose Pfaff to consider the court’s opinion favorably. He attended the hearing through live video,” Mr. Ray said. a statement later in the day.

The petition highlighted the Union government’s “prolonged failure to take a final, reasoned and time-bound decision on repatriating (or at least facilitating repatriation) of the remains preserved at Renko-Ji Temple in Tokyo to India.”

“So that Netaji’s daughter can perform her last rites with dignity and certainty in India,” the petition stated.

It noted Ms. Pfaff’s consistent public call for Netaji’s body to be transferred to India.

Netaji is believed to have died in an air crash in Taihoku (Taipei) while en route from Singapore following the Japanese surrender to the Allied Forces in 1945. His mortal remains were transported to Tokyo in early September 1945.

The petition stated that his remains have been in the Renko-Ji Temple for over 80 years and have been preserved and honored by successive abbots, creating an ongoing situation of “posthumous exile” and non-closure of Netaji’s family.