BHOPAL, India, Oct.6: Reuter: The Government today asked an Indian court to bar the Union Carbide Corporation from destroying evidence relating to the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster.
The Government made the request in a district court in this central Indian city where it last month filed suit for compensation of victims in the World’s worst industrial disaster and for punitive damages against Union Carbide.
It asked for a “non destruct” ‘order under India’s criminal procedure code barring the company from destroying, mutilating or altering documents related to the December 3 leak of toxic methyl isocyanate gas from the pesticide plant.
More than 2,000 people died and 200,000 were injured in the accident.
Bhopal district Judge KS, Shrivastava said he would make his decision tomorrow.
Counsel A.N. Mathur said the Government sought the order because it received a letter from the company on September 19 saying a non destruct order issued by New York District Judge John Keenan on August 22, 1985, was no longer binding.
Keenan ruled earlier this year that claims against Union Carbide should be heard by the Indian Courts and the Government responded by filing suit in Bhopal.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 10, 1986
