The CBI has arrested a convict in the Bhopal Gas Tragedy case, SI Qureshi who was absconding since 2016.
Qureshi was one of the convicts in the case who will be produced before a court in Bhopal after his arrest from Nagpur on Tuesday, officials said.
The CBI had registered the case on December 6, 1984 on the request of Madhya Pradesh (MP) Government and took over the investigation of the case originally registered at Police Station Hanumanganj, Bhopal on December 2, 1984.
It was alleged that on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984 from 12.00 - 12.45 AM onwards hazardous gas methyl isocynate (MIC) started to escape from Tank 610 in the UCIL (Union Carbide India Limited) factory at Bhopal in large quantities causing deaths of thousands of persons and animals and affecting the health of lakhs of people.
On conclusion of trial, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Bhopal held all the accused persons guilty and convicted them. S. Qureshi an employee of Union Carbide Bhopal was also one of the convicted persons.
Aggrieved with the impugned order of the Court, the convicted persons filed appeals in the Court of Sessions Bhopal. CBI also filed an appeal against the order of CJM and requested for enhancement of the sentence. The case presently is at argument on appeals stage, agency officials said.
During pendency of appeal, SI Qureshi absconded from 2016. The Court issued Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Qureshi. Initially Madhya Pradesh Police tried to execute the NBW but could not do so. CBI was requested to execute the NBW. It was alleged that Qureshi alongwith his family went to an unknown destination. After strenuous efforts, CBI arrested the absconding accused on Tuesday in Nagpur, officials added.