The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL which sought declarations of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose as a “National Son” and the Indian National Army founded by him as one that had secured the country’s independence.

A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also directed the Supreme Court registry not to entertain any PIL in future by petitioner Pinakpani Mohanty and warned that it would ban his entry into the top court premises.

“Supreme Court mein entry bandh kar denge hum agar aap iss tarah ke petitions file karenge toh (We will ban your entry into the Supreme Court if you file these kinds of petitions),” CJI Surya Kant told Pinakpani Mohanty, who appeared in person and filed the PIL seeking a declaration that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s INA (Azad Hind Fauj) secured independence for India

The petitioner had further pleaded that Netaji be declared as “National Son” and the foundation day of INA, which falls on October 21, 1943, and his birthday, which is on January 23, be observed as “National Days”.

The CJI pointed out that a similar petition was filed last year, too and was dismissed. Yet, the petitioner had come to the court again, raising similar issues without disclosing to the registry the dismissal of his earlier petition.

When the petitioner said the petition was drafted by a lawyer in Cuttack, the bench asked him to identify the lawyer who filed it so that he could be asked to file an
affidavit.

Later, the bench dismissed the petition, saying the same was an attempt to gain popularity and a similar PIL by the petitioner was rejected earlier. It directed the Registry to “not entertain any writ petition filed by the petitioner claiming to be in public interest”.