Charges framed in Bhopal gas tragedy case

Charges were framed against nine of the accused in the Bhopal gas tragedy case.

After hearing the arguments of the Central Bureau of Investigation, Chief Judicial Magistrate A K Tiwari framed charges against the then Union Carbide India Limited chairman Keshub Mahindra, managing director Vijay Gokhale, works manager J Mukund, and UCIL itself for rashness and negligence not amounting to culpable homicide, for endangering human life and the safety of others.

The other accused, vice-president (agricultural production division) K S Kamdar, assistant works manager R B Roychoudhary, production manager S P Choudhary, plant superintendent K V Shetty, and production assistant of the UCIL plant S I Qureshi have also been charged.

According to Indian law, whoever causes death through any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide can be imprisoned for up to two years, fined, or both. Another section states that anyone who causes grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others, can be imprisoned for two years, fined, or both.

According to the prosecution, on the night of December 2, 1984, the accused caused the death of 3828 or more people by running a defective plant of methyl iso-cyanate, a dangerous volatile and poisonous substance, without reasonable care, resulting in leakage. The four main accused had also done nothing to stop the escape of gas, the prosecution claimed, adding that by running a defective plant, the accused had also caused injuries to 8485 people and grievous injuries to 21,694 others.

In his order, CJM Tiwari said he was framing charges in the light of the Supreme Court order, issued on September 13 last year. The SC had allowed an appeal from Mahindra and seven others for quashing charges against them for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

All the accused pleaded not guilty.

UNI