Another despatch, ST/42/1040, dated February 20, 1946, sent by a Major to the Commander of the CSDIC at Red Fort says: " ... they told him that Bose was bound for Manchuria whence he hoped to make his way to Russia. None of them (all arrested INA officers) will, even now, admit this knowledge.

"At all events the story told by Habib ur Rehman (B1269) in CSDIC 2 sec Report 1156 that Bose was merely going to arrange a separate surrender for the INA that he would have returned to Singapore, may be categorically rejected, and it may be accepted that B1269 (Habib) himself probably knows the truth."

But why would Habib 'hide' anything? The answer emerges form another secret report (No. 1300/SE, dated March 21, 1946) based on the interrogation of another INA stalwart Major General J K Bhonsale.

"B1189 (Bhonsale) gave the impression that he - and some others - had some idea of Bose's plans in Russia, but refused to commit himself. He evaded all questions relevant to this subject, merely saying that 'if Bose's exact plans were known by his trusted henchmen, none of the latter would ever reveal them now'.... B1189 states that Bose selected the staff to accompany on the basis of who was most loyal to him and could be relied."