DNA hurdle in Netaji mystery

[ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 04, 2003 ]

KOLKATA: Just one more blood sample. That is all that the Central Forensic Science Laboratory in Kolkata needs to tell the world whether a holy man from Faizabad, who went by the name of Gumnami Baba and died in 1995 at the age of 98, was actually Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

Yet it’s this last sample which is preventing the CFSL from putting the fragmented remains of Gumnami Baba’s teeth under the DNA scanner.

The Justice Mukherjee Commission, set up to find the truth about the mystery of Netaji’s ‘disappearance’, had recommended as early as November 2002 that three DNA samples each of Netaji’s paternal and maternal descendants be collected and handed over to the CFSL in order to conduct necessary forensic tests to match it with Gumnami baba’s teeth. “We were told to collect the samples earlier this year. And two months ago we received blood samples of three members of the Bose family, all of whom volunteered for the tests. However, all three trace their roots to the Netaji’s paternal side. What we need is blood samples of at least one if not two people who are direct descendants of Netaji’s mother’s family,” said CFSL director V.K. Kashyap. While Netaji’s nephew Subrata Bose and niece Chitra Ghosh are two of those who have volunteered and given blood samples, the commission has been unable to convince former city police chief Nirupam Som, a descendant on Netaji’s mother’s side, to come forward and do the same.

Explaining why DNA samples from the maternal side was so important, Kashyap said conducting the normal 16-marker forensic tests on a sample like the current one was difficult with only the male DNA.

“The paternal side DNA samples provide the Y-chromosome while the maternal side DNA gives the mitochondria. Any DNA samples of Netaji will carry the same genes. However, in cases like this when the original DNA sample in question is in a highly degraded state, the Y chromosome is not always entire dependable and detectable,” Kashyap explained.

“If the teeth belonged to Netaji, then, however decayed its condition, it will definitely have the same mitochondria as that of his descendants on his mother’s side. This is because every human has a Y chromosome which he inherits from his father and a mitochondria which he inherits from his mother.”

While Justice Mukherjee was unavailable for comment, his office said the matter was still “pending before the commission”. The commission, whose term will come to an end shortly, is expected to be granted an extension.

Original Article : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5309.cms