Keshub Mahindra, 7 others convicted Bhopal gas case

Bhopal, Jun 7
(PTI) Twenty-six years after the world's worst industrial disaster that had
left over 15,000 people dead, a local court on Monday convicted all the
eight accused including former Union Carbide India Chairman Keshub Mahindra
in the Bhopal Gas tragedy case.
Chief Judicial Magistrate Mohan P
Tiwari pronounced the verdict in a packed court room convicting 85-year-old
Mahindra, and seven others in the case relating to leakage of deadly methyl
isocyanate gas in the intervening of Dec 2 and 3, 1984, in central Indian
city of Bhopal.
They were held guilty under Sections 304-A (causing
death by negligence), 304-II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder),
336, 337 and 338 (gross negligence) of the Indian Penal Code.
However, there was no word on Warren Anderson, the then Chairman of Union
Carbide Corporation of the US, who was declared an absconder after he did
not subject himself to trial in the case that began 23 years ago.
Others found guilty are Vijay Gokhle, the then Managing Director of UCIL,
Kishore Kamdar, the then Vice President, J N Mukund, the then Works Manager,
S P Choudhary, the then Production Manager, K V Shetty, the then Plant
Superintendent and S I Quershi, the then Production Assistant.
The sentencing in the case is expected later. Arguments on the quantum
of sentence were put forward by the defence and prosecution counsel. (MORE)
PTI