New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday issued a formal notice to the Central government regarding a petition filed by Anita Bose Pfaff, the octogenarian daughter of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, seeking the repatriation of her father’s mortal remains from Tokyo. A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi, and Justice V. Mohana sought responses from the Union government, including the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs, on the plea. Represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, the Austrian-German economist submitted that there has been a prolonged failure on the part of Indian authorities to reach a final, time-bound decision regarding the return of the ashes preserved at Tokyo’s Renkoji Temple since 1945.
In her petition, Pfaff requested that the government either directly facilitate or assist her in repatriating the remains to allow the sole living direct descendant to perform Netaji’s final rites with dignity. Describing the decade-long retention of the remains abroad as an extended exile, she emphasized the necessity of bringing closure to the legendary freedom fighter’s legacy. Pfaff had previously renewed her appeal during Netaji’s 129th birth anniversary in January 2026 and addressed formal letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking governmental intervention. The current filing follows earlier judicial proceedings in which the court indicated it would entertain a direct application from Netaji’s legal heir to address the long-standing issue.
