Bhopal gas tragedy: CBI seeks review of apex court verdict

NEW DELHI - The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Monday moved the Supreme Court for a review of its 1996 judgment which diluted the charge against eight accused in the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy from culpable homicide not amounting to murder to causing death by negligence.

The CBI, through a curative petition, has sought the restoration of the serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder that carries an imprisonment of up to 10 years.

The charge under which the accused were convicted by a Bhopal court in June carries a maximum sentence of two years.

The apex court judgment of 1996 was delivered by a bench headed by then chief justice A.M. Ahmadi.

Following this judgment, all the eight accused including former chief of Union Carbide India’s operations Keshub Mahindra were tried under the less serious charge.

On June 7, 2010, a trial court in Bhopal convicted all the accused and awarded them two years sentence.

Soon after their conviction and sentencing they were granted bail and their petition challenging the trial court verdict is pending.