New Delhi: The Union Law Ministry has recommended fresh efforts to extradite former Union Carbide CEO Warren Anderson to India to face trial for his role in the Bhopal gas tragedy, sources tell CNN-IBN.
In a presentation made before the Group of Ministers (GoM), which met for the second day on Saturday, the Ministry also recommended that the government file a curative petition against the Supreme Court's 1996 order which diluted the charges against those accused in the case.
According to sources, the recommendations made by the Law Ministry were based on the ground that the parent company, Union Carbide Corp, should be made liable for faulty design and operation of the Bhopal plant.
The Ministry's recommendation on curative petition also includes taking a look at the punishment handed out to those convicted in the case.
Sources say that although the GoM is likely to take final decision only after reaching the recommendation stage, there was nevertheless an agreement among its members over taking these recommendations forward.
Interacting with reporters after the meeting, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said, "We have discussed all pending legal issues and all legal options that are available to the government after the judgement of the trial court."
Earlier, the GoM was briefed by Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on the circumstances and possibilities with regard to Anderson's extradition.
Anderson, who came to India soon after the Bhopal gas leak tragedy, was arrested by the Madhya Pradesh government but surprisingly granted bail and released on December 7, 1984. He left India for USA the same day never to return.
A Bhopal court had on January 1, 1992 issued a notice for Anderson's appearance before it. After Anderson failed to turn up, non-bailable arrest warrants were issued against him.
In 2003, India sent an extradition request for Anderson to the US Justice Department, which rejected it in 2004. The last request for extradition by the External Affairs Ministry was made in September 2008.
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