CBI Confirms Death of Bhopel Gas Tragedy Accused Shakeel Qureshi
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the prosecuting agency in the Bhopal gas disaster criminal case, has officially verified the death of Shakeel Qureshi, a former plant assistant at the erstwhile Union Carbide plant in Bhopal. Qureshi was one of the accused individuals in this long-standing legal case related to the tragic industrial disaster.
Court Proceedings and Verification Process
During a hearing on January 13, the court of principal district judge Manoj Kumar Shrivastava in Bhopal was informed about the demise of Shakeel Qureshi. Judge Shrivastava is currently hearing the appeal filed by the CBI, as well as the appeals of officials who were convicted in the case by the trial court back in 2010. Qureshi served as the shift in-charge at the factory during the fateful intervening night of December 2-3, 1984, when the gas leak occurred.
The court had directed the CBI to verify Qureshi's death and present a verification report. However, in the previous hearing on January 20, the CBI informed the court that it had not been able to collect the necessary relevant documents from Nagpur, where Qureshi passed away. At that time, the court granted the agency a week's extension to submit the verification report.
Submission of Verification Report
On Thursday, the CBI successfully presented the verification report before the court. This submission comes just ahead of the next scheduled hearing for the case, which is set to take place on February 3. With the confirmation of Shakeel Qureshi's death, the legal proceedings continue to evolve as the court addresses the appeals and other related matters.
Impact on the Case and Accused Individuals
The confirmation of Qureshi's death marks a significant development in the Bhopal gas disaster case. Out of the eight accused individuals who were sentenced in this case, five have now passed away. Among these, one died during the trial phase, while the remaining four, including Qureshi, died during the pendency of the appeal. This highlights the prolonged nature of the legal battle and the passage of time since the tragic incident occurred over three decades ago.
The Bhopal gas disaster remains one of the world's worst industrial catastrophes, and the ongoing legal proceedings continue to draw attention to issues of accountability, justice, and corporate responsibility. The verification of Qureshi's death adds another layer to the complex narrative of this case, as the court moves forward with the appeals process.
