What's your stand on releasing Netaji files, court asks centre, others

The Calcutta High Court Tuesday directed the central government, the PMO and the RAW, among others, to file affidavits stating their stand on declassifying secret documents relating to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Justices A. K. Banerjee and Ashis Kumar Chakraborty passed the order while hearing a public suit demanding declassification of secret documents on the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Bose and a judicial review on whether the documents should remain secret in public interest.

The petition was filed by Kolkata-based NGO India's Smile and has the central government, the National Advisory Council, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the Intelligence Bureau, the private secretary to the Prime Minister, the Defence Secretary, the Home Affairs department and the West Bengal government, among others as respondents.

"The respondents have been directed by the court to file affidavits within three weeks and state their stand regarding the petition in which we have demanded declassification of the secret files," India's Smile chief functionary officer Rajib Sarkar said.

A host of Netaji's descendants, enthusiasts, historians and organisations have been campaigning for declassification of the secret files claimed to be in the possession of the central and West Bengal governments.