Netaji files declassified on May 27 reportedly seem to suggest that Subhas Chandra Bose was living under the identity of KK Bhandari in Shalumari Ashram in north Bengal in 1963.
According to a report in The Times of India, the topmost government officials in Jawaharlal Nehru's government were talking about KK Bhandari. One of the declassified files repeatedly refers to a file 'Netaji-as-Bhandari' which has not been made available yet.
According to the report in The Times of India, the discussion began when secretary of Shalumari Ashram, Ramani Ranjan Das, wrote to then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1963. Immediately after which principal private secretary to the PM, K Ram, spoke to BN Mallik, the director of Intelligence Bureau on May 23, 1963. A confidential note No III(51)/63(6) from Mallik on June 12 spoke about KK Bhandari.
In a chain of communications kept undercover by the government, the PMO had over the period of September and November 1963 followed up with the Intelligence Bureau on the matter. Finally, on November 16 the bureau responded to it.
Even in 1999, when Justice Mukherjee Commission was set up to look into the issue, PMO averred from the discussions. The commission pressurised Prime Minister's office to hand over the files, which was when the officials contemplated if the files should be downgraded from top secret to secret in order to make them available, says the report.
In a note dated July 5, 2000 written by the Under Secretary (NGO), it says: "As discussed with Director (A) where Under Secretary (Political) was also present, we may ask IB to concur with the downgradation of the two letters dated 12/6/1963 and 16/11/1963 sent to Director IB by Shri K Ram, PPS to PM about Shri KK Bhandari (believed to be Shri Subhas Chandra Bose)."
Justice Mukherjee Commission also denied all reports of Shalumari Baba being Netaji as rumours in those days suggested.
