Bhopal gas tragedy: Petition to book ex-cop dismissed

Bhopal: In a relief to the retired police officer Swaraj Puri who was in the eye of the storm for facilitating the Union Carbide (UC) promoter late Warren Anderson to flee India by escorting him to Bhopal airport soon after the gas tragedy occurred in the UC plant in December, 1984, Madhya Pradesh high court on Wednesday held that he could not be prosecuted for this.

The Jabalpur high court rejected the lower court’s order seeking to book the then superintendent of police of Bhopal district Mr Puri contending that the latter had escorted the UC chief to Bhopal airport to leave MP in the interest of law and order in the city then.

Besides, the UC chief was on bail then and hence, the retired police officer had not violated any law to escort him to the airport to facilitate his escape from MP, the court held.

Earlier, the chief judicial magistrate court in Bhopal in response to a petition filed by social activist Abdul Jabbar had ordered to book Mr Puri and then Bhopal district collector Moti Singh under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code for allowing the UC chief to escape MP.

Both Mr Puri and Mr Singh had moved the MP high court at Jabalpur challenging the lower court’s order.

Mr Jabbar cited the narrative in the book “Truth of Bhopal Gas Tragedy”, authored by Mr Singh detailing how the UC was escorted by him.