Khosla Commission 1970: Modern History UPSC Notes!

The Khosla Commission was set up in 1970 and was named after Justice G. D. Khosla. It was among the Indian government bodies set up to investigate subhash chandra bose death. Despite the official version that he died in a plane crash on his route to Japan, many of his fans felt he was still alive. Within hours of his death, conspiracy theories arose and have remained ever since. As a result, the government established numerous commissions to evaluate the truth of these claims.

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In the context of the UPSC IAS Exam, this article created by the Testbook UPSC Coaching team will provide a quick overview of the Khosla Commissions. It is important for GS paper-1.

Death of Subhas Chandra Bose

On August 18, 1945, a plane crashed in Taiwan. Despite official records stating that Subhas Chandra Bose died from third-degree wounds incurred in the plane crash, many of his officers refused to trust them because no photographs were taken when he was hurt or died.

Due to his nearly mythological position as a nationalist hero, suspicion was already rife that he was still alive. Post-independence governments established many commissions to put these rumours to rest.

Findings of the Khosla Commission

• The Indian government appointed Justice GD Khosla, a retired Punjab High Court judge, to head a one-person inquiry commission.
• He didn’t submit his report until 1974 because he had other legal obligations. Justice Khosla, who applied his legal knowledge to the case in an organized manner, not only agreed with Figes’ and the Shah Nawaz Committee’s earlier reports on the main facts of Bose’s death but also weighed in on alternative explanations for Bose’s disappearance and the motivations of those promoting Netaji sighting stories.
• Khosla is said to have listened patiently to various stories, some of which were far too unbelievable to accept.
• However, he appears to have shown an unusual lack of interest in other investigation elements.

Findings of Previous Commissions

The results of commissions before the Khosla Commission are listed below.

Figges Report 1946

The British authorities became concerned at the death of Subhash Bose. Because he had lied to them earlier during his house imprisonment in Calcutta, they wanted to ensure that Subhas Chandra Bose had passed away. As a result, Mountbatten's Supreme Allied Command, Southeast Asia, tasked Sir John Figgess, an intelligence officer, with looking into Bose's death. However, because Figgess' report, which was delivered on July 25, 1946, was based on work by the Indian Political Intelligence (IPI), a department of the Indian government that was partially secret, it was classified.

In the 1980s, Figgess was questioned by Leonard A. Gordon, who confirmed that the author of the paper. The British government made most of the IPI files available for public examination in the India Office Archives at the British Library in 1997.

Four things were confirmed in John Figges’ report:

• The crash of a plane carrying Subhas Chandra Bose near Taihoku airport on August 18, 1945.
• Bose’s death in a nearby military hospital on the same day.
• Bose’s cremation in Taihoku.
• The transfer of Bose’s ashes to Tokyo.

Shah Nawaz Commission 1956

• The Shah Nawaz Commission, commonly known as the "Shah Nawaz Khan Committee," was established by the Indian government in 1956 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged death of Indian nationalist leader Subhash Chandra Bose.
• The commission is named for its chairman, retired judge Shah Nawaz Khan.
• The investigation was started in response to persistent rumours and debate over the circumstances of Bose's passing in 1945.
• Many Indians thought that Bose had survived the plane accident in Taipei, Taiwan, and may have lived secretly for many years afterwards.
• The Shah Nawaz Commission was tasked with looking into these allegations and drafting a report that would offer a conclusive response to the Bose death debate.
• The commission looked into a wide range of information, including testimonies from witnesses, government documents, and forensic reports.
• The commission concluded that Subhash Chandra Bose had certainly died in the plane crash on August 18, 1945, in Taipei after conducting a thorough examination. According to the commission's report, there is no proof that Bose survived the accident or continued to live a secret life after it.
• The panel's findings, which effectively ended the long-running rumours and conspiracy theories surrounding Bose's death, were largely regarded as the final word.
• However, some disagree with the commission's conclusions and insist that Bose did not die in the plane crash.
• The Shah Nawaz Commission was an important moment in the history of India, as it provided closure to a long-standing controversy and helped to clarify the facts surrounding the death of one of the country's most prominent nationalist leaders.

Mukherjee Commission 2005

• The Mukherjee Commission, also known as the "Justice Mukherjee Commission of Inquiry”. It was a commission of inquiry appointed by the Government of India in 1999.
•  It was formed to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged death of Indian nationalist leader Subhash Chandra Bose. 
• The commission was named after its chairman, retired judge Manoj Kumar Mukherjee. The Mukherjee Commission was launched in response to persistent demands from Bose's family members and supporters to reopen the investigation into his death. 
• Like the Shah Nawaz Commission of 1956, the Mukherjee Commission was tasked with examining a wide range of evidence and producing a report that would provide a definitive answer to the question of Bose's death.
• The commission examined many documents and conducted interviews with various witnesses, including several individuals who claimed to have seen or spoken to Bose after the alleged plane crash in Taipei. 
• The commission also received assistance from foreign governments, including Russia, Japan, and the United States.
• After a thorough investigation, the Mukherjee Commission submitted its report to the Indian government in 2005. 
• The commission's report stated that there was no conclusive evidence to suggest that Subhash Chandra Bose had died in the plane crash in Taipei and that it was "more likely than not" that he had survived the incident and lived on for several years afterwards.
• The commission's findings were met with controversy and criticism from some quarters. 
• Some historians and politicians disputed the commission's conclusions, while others accused the government of suppressing the commission's report for political reasons. 
• Despite the controversy, the Mukherjee Commission remains an important moment in the ongoing debate over the circumstances surrounding Bose's death. 
• The commission's report has provided new information and insights into the issue, prompting further research and analysis by historians and other experts.

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. “The Khosla Commission was set up in 1970 and was named after Justice G. D. Khosla. It was among the Indian government bodies set up to investigate Subhas Chandra Bose’s murder”. Discuss the findings of the Khosla Commission 1970.

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