Gas Tragedy: Court rejects CBI application

Bhopal, Nov 24 (UNI) A chief judicial magistrate's court hearing a criminal case pertaining to the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy today rejected an application whereby the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) -- the prosecuting agency -- sought permission to further question the accused.

CJM Raveendra Singh fixed February 3, 2007 as the next date for hearing.

The CBI, which has already posed 1,026 questions under Section 301 of the Criminal Procedure Code, had sought permission to pose more than 100 additional questions.

Earlier, the statements of the then Union Carbide India Ltd chairman Keshav Mahindra, vice-president Kishore Kamdar, managing director Vijay Gokhale, production manager S P Chaudhry, works manager J Mukund, production supervisor K V Shetty, shift supervisor Shakeel Qureshi and another accused A K Shrivastav were recorded.

On the intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, methyl isocyanate leaked out of the Carbide unit here and slew thousands while lakhs continue to suffer the effects of inhalation exposure.

UNI SD-AC LL RAI2137