Three days after the Bhopal gas tragedy, the police here had released the then Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson and two others on bail by “deleting” in the complaint a stringent charge under the IPC against them, trial court sources said on Friday.
A perusal of court documents shows that the in-charge of the Hanuman Ganj police station, Surender Singh, had initially arrested Mr Anderson, then UCIL chairman Keshub Mahindra and senior company official Vijay Prakash Gokhale at 10.10 am on December 7, 1984 in the presence of one Rakesh Kumar under various sections of the IPC including 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
They were also charged with Sections 304 A (causing death by negligence), 278 (making atmosphere noxious to health), 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), 426 (mischief) and 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, other animals). Later, the police released the three, “deleting” the charge against them under Section 304, they said. —PTI