Kolkata: A DNA test conducted on the teeth allegedly of one Gumnami Baba has disproved claims that the Faizabad-based ascetic was Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in disguise, Justice M K Mukherjee Commission of inquiry said today (June 23, 2004).

Disclosing this here after its routine hearing, the commission said reports of a DNA test on the teeth conducted by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Kolkata, had apparently dismissed popular belief and claims that Gumnami Baba was Netaji himself.

The findings, however, did not conclusively prove wrong the Gumnami Baba theory as the teeth found from the home of the ascetic in Faizabad could not be confirmed to be his own, Justice Mukherjee, heading the one-man commission probing the mysterious disappearance of the great freedom fighter, said after a hearing at the historic Mahajati Sadan here.

The Commission said as per reports submitted by CFSL, Kolkata, the DNA profile of the teeth did not match the blood samples donated by Netaji's descendants for the purpose.

However, the report submitted by a Hyderabad-based laboratory on the same test said no opinion could be drawn due to insufficiency of samples.

Besides DNA test reports, reports submitted by three handwriting experts differed in their opinions on whether the alleged handwritings of the said Baba matched with that of Netaji.

Justice Mukherjee, who opened sealed reports of the DNA tests and handwriting experts during the hearing, said one handwriting expert found clear similarities while the other found partial similarities between the alleged handwritings of Gumnami Baba and Netaji. The report of the third one was invalid.