Overview
- A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant refused to hear grandnephew Ashis Ray’s petition and allowed it to be withdrawn.
- The court indicated that any fresh petition must be filed by Anita Bose Pfaff, who was described as Netaji’s sole heir and attended the hearing virtually.
- Judges questioned the provenance of the remains kept at Tokyo’s Renkoji Temple, asking what proof exists regarding the ashes.
- The bench recalled that similar matters had been dismissed previously, including in 2024, and noted reported divisions within the extended Bose family.
- Ray’s filing accused the Union government of prolonged inaction and sought time-bound repatriation so Pfaff could perform final rites in India.