The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a petition seeking direction to the Union government to bring back the mortal remains of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose from Renkoji temple in Japan.

However, the court orally observed that it would consider such a plea if filed by his daughter, Anita Bose Pfaff.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi declined to issue any notice on the plea made by Ashish Ray, grandnephew of Netaji, noting that similar pleas had been dismissed earlier.

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the petitioner, said that Anita had joined the hearing via videoconference.

Singhvi argued that, unlike previous petitions, the petitioner in the present case had sought to bring back the ashes so that Netaji’s daughter could perform his last rites.

The bench, however, observed that it could consider the plea only if Netaji's daughter personally filed a petition.

Singhvi then sought permission to withdraw the petition, stating that Anita would file a fresh plea. The bench allowed the request and dismissed the petition as withdrawn.