BHOPAL: An absconding convict of 1984 Bhopal Gas Tragedy has been arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from Nagpur. He was brought to Bhopal on Wednesday.
Qureshi was the operator of the methyl isocyanate (MIC) unit of the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant, from which the gas leaked on December 2-3, 1984 intervening night and caused deaths of thousands of people and animals.
CBI had registered a case on December 6, 1984 on the request of the MP government and subsequently took over the investigations in the case, earlier registered at Hanumanganj police station in Bhopal on December 3, 1984.
On the conclusion of the long trial, the CJM Court in Bhopal held seven Indian accused, including Qureshi guilty in the case and awarded maximum two years in prison along with financial penalty in 2010.
Aggrieved with the impugned order of the Court, the convicts filed appeals in the District and Sessions Court in Bhopal later.
CBI also filed an appeal against the order of CJM and requested for enhancement of the sentence. The case presently is at the argument on appeals stage.
During pendency of appeal, Qureshi went absconding since 2016. The Court issued non-bailable warrant against Qureshi and notice to surety. Initially MP Police tried to execute the NBW but could not execute the same. 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 from Nagpur, an official CBI statement said on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, Qureshi was brought to the Bhopal district and sessions court in an ambulance and presented him in the Court. The Court granted him bail.
