MP govt to file review petition against Bhopal verdict

The Madhya Pradesh government today said it would file a review petition in the sessions court against the recent verdict in the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster, as the sentence to all convicts was insufficient in view of the magnitude of the crime.

The state government has also decided to constitute a fact-finding committee to identify those officials responsible for the disaster, and the safe exit of former Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson, prime accused in the case.

A five-member committee under the chairmanship of noted lawyer Vivek Tankha today recommended filing a curative petition in the Supreme Court against the 1996 judgement delivered by then Chief Justice A M Ahmadi.

“We are going to implement the recommendations of the committee with immediate affect. In fact, the case was to be referred to the sessions court on the basis of evidence under Section 323 of the CrPC. We will urge the court to correct the legal discrepancy pertaining to the court,” Narottam Mishra, government spokesperson and cabinet colleague of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said.

“The state government will urge the Centre and CBI to file a supplementary charge sheet under Section 304-II of the Indian Penal Code, as it was prima facie a case of culpable homicide,” he added.

To a question, without naming any politician, he said: “Political executives also come under the purview of the fact-finding committee and none will be spared. The committee will try to find the fact which ensured Anderson’s safe exit and will ensure the guilty, whosoever, will not be spared.”

The state government will also urge the Centre to form a joint task force so that Anderson can be extradited. A government official said, “Judges have powers to consider the case in different sections of IPC if new evidence comes to the fore but CBI did not make any effort.”

However, while speaking to BS earlier, CBI lawyer C Sahay had said: “The CBI did not urge the court to consider it a case of 304-II after new witness as it would have taken many years.”