Bhopal gas tragedy: Madhya Pradesh CM seeks explanation from Arjun Singh

Bhopal, June 11 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has written a letter to veteran Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Arjun Singh seeking an explanation for the escape of Union Carbide Chairman Warren Anderson, in connection with the 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy.

In the letter, Singh asked Arjun Singh to reveal the person responsible facilitating the safe passage for Warren Anderson days after the Bhopal gas leak.

"I have written a letter to Arjun Singh asking him to reveal that under whose orders did he take a decision to free Anderson on December 7, 1984, soon after his arrest. Because, the then District Collector of Bhopal is saying that the Chief Secretary asked him to not only release Anderson, but also to fly him from Bhopal to New Delhi in the state plane," said Chauhan.

Chauhan added that the court verdict on the case was unacceptable.

"I believe that if someone has taken this decision, then there can be no bigger crime against the gas leak victims and the residents of Bhopal. It is the right of the country to know the truth and all facts should be revealed. Therefore it is very important that Arjun Singh breaks his silence, and that is why, I have requested him to bring the truth in front of the country," said Chauhan.

On Thursday, former Madhya Pradesh Aviation Director R.S. Sondhi and a pilot both claimed that they were instructed by the Chief Minister's Office to fly Anderson out of Bhopal.

Sondhi said Arjun Singh's office sent the orders to fly Anderson out of the troubled zone.

"At around 2 p.m., we received a call at the office of the Director (Aviation) at the airport (Bhopal) from the secretariat of the chief minister office that an aircraft has to be sent to Delhi around 4 p.m. We prepared the plane accordingly," he added.

Captain S.H. Ali, the pilot, who flew Anderson out of Bhopal on December 7, 1984, four days after the deadly gas accident, said he was asked by the authorities to fly Anderson to New Delhi.

"At around 4:30 p.m., Anderson and the other officials came to Bhopal Airport. We asked Anderson to get inside the aircraft. We closed the door of the aircraft and left for Delhi. I came to know that later it was Anderson," said Ali.

On Monday, a District Magistrate's Court in Bhopal had convicted all eight accused on grounds of negligence under Section 304 (a) for the tragedy.

The court also granted bail to seven of the eight accused and released them on submission of a bond and a surety of Rs 25,000 each.

The eight accused are Keshub Mahendra, Vijay Gokhle, Kishore Kamdar, J Mukund, S P Choudhary, K V Shetty and S I Qureshi and R B Roy Choudhary.

Out of the accused R B Roy Choudhary, then former Assistant Works Manager Union Carbide India Ltd (UCIL), Mumbai, died during the trial.

Warren Anderson, the chairman of Union Carbide Worldwide, has been designated an absconder. (ANI)