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Madhya Pradesh HC asks courts to wrap up Bhopal Gas leak disaster cases: ‘Can’t be pending for 40 years’

According to the court, the case has been pending for the last 33 years and the criminal appeal since 2010.

This came after respondents raised objections to the petitions saying that they were not maintainable since the Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti, is “neither a witness nor a party” to the proceedings.

Observing that proceedings in criminal revision appeals in the Bhopal Gas disaster “can’t be pending for 40 years”, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered Bhopal’s district courts to dispose of the cases as “expeditiously as possible” by giving them priority.

A Bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf, which was hearing a petition by the Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti, ordered that courts “shall send [a] monthly report to this court through the registrar general”.

According to the court, the case has been pending for the last 33 years and the criminal appeal since 2010.

“Without commenting on the objection with regard to maintainability, since these proceedings have been pending for a substantial period of time,” the Bench said. “We dispose of this petition with a direction to the concerned courts to dispose of the miscellaneous judicial case and also the criminal appeal, as expeditiously as possible, by giving priority to these cases over other cases. The concerned court shall send [a] monthly report to this court through the registrar general”.

When the respondents sought additional time for clarification, Chief Justice Sachdeva said: “No, you can’t have matters pending for 40 years”.

In its petition, the Bhopal Gas Peedit Sangharsh Sahyog Samiti that sought speedy disposal of several criminal revision appeals pending before the district courts, saying that the cases were delayed due to the repeated transfer of the presiding judge.

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According to court records, the Court of the Principal ”District and Sessions Judge has been hearing appeals filed by seven convicted officials of Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) and the company since 2010. It is also hearing an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation seeking enhancement of sentence in a judgment passed by the Chief Judicial Magistrate.

The petitioners argued during the last 15 years, on no less than eight occasions, the Principal District & Sessions Judge of Bhopal was transferred elsewhere before the hearings in the appeals were complete. It was also argued that on April 9 this year, a junior civil judge in open court orally conveyed to all parties — including the CBI — that “Judge is not in a position to pass any ruling in the matter.”

“As of now, four of the convicted officials have passed away when they were out on bail while the appeals filed by the other three convicted officials and the company are being heard without end for the last fifteen years,” the petitioners submitted.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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Bhopal gas tragedy