New Delhi: The CBI, which is probing the Bhopal gas disaster, never got a “Red Corner Notice” issued through Interpol against Warren Anderson, former CEO of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) — who was the key accused in one of the biggest industrial disasters in the country.
Top sources in the investigating agency however, maintain that since the extradition request against Anderson was already at an advance stage, thus there was “no need” for an Interpol notice against him. Anderson died recently in the US without facing a trial for the Bhopal gas disaster that killed thousands.
Dismissing the CBI’s argument, former CBI director Joginder Singh was of the strong opinion that an RCN and an Interpol alert should have been issued in this case and especially against those who were declared absconder.
“When the apex court had ordered amendment to the charges in the case, there was not much that the agency could do. Since the case is more than 30 year old, I could not remember the developments exactly.
But I am sure that the RCN must have been issued against him”, Mr Singh argued. Senior officials are also of the view that getting an RCN issued against an accused is “in no way linked to a request for a formal extradition” of the said person.
This is primarily because an investigating agency can move Interpol for getting an RCN issued against an accused person the minute it declares him an absconder.
