'Don't blame me for Carbide's faulty design' : J Mukund

BHOPAL: J Mukund, former works manager Union Carbide India Ltd (UICL), who was convicted in Bhopal gas tragedy case, submitted before alocal court on Friday that he should not be held accountable for the disaster for defective design of the factory. He has appealed against the conviction before a special court for Bhopal gas tragedy cases.
While pressing for highest possible punishment of the seven Indian accused in the Bhopal gas tragedy, CBI had maintained before the court of district and sessions judge that UCIL had decided to dismantle and shift its Bhopal unit to Brazil or Indonesia following financial losses.This proves that the management was aware that the factory was not in a good shape, it added. Tragedy occurred due to defective design of the UCIL's factory and poor maintenance, said CBI adding the accused had failed to take remedial measures.
CBI officials claimed that J Mukund had sent a message to the US-based parent company for advice about coating the gas pipes. The company replied back saying that the finest material for coating would be too expensive would also be difficult to acquire. Mukund's message was sent on August 27, 1984, just a few weeks before the fateful leak.
Prosecution argued that Mukund was in know of the fault in plant. "We have strong evidences against the accused," said Ejaz Khan, CBI's deputy legal advisor.
The defence counsels refuted prosecution charge and contended that their clients were in no way responsible for the tragedy and also put forth the accounts of the 15 witnesses during the previous hearing.
Defence had been claiming that the CBI's theory of factory's shifting was based on a communication between an officer of UCIL and Union Carbide Eastern, Hong Kong.
"This communication was following a preliminary study to look into feasibility of dismantling and shifting the unit," defence had argued claiming such a major decision can only be taken by the board of directors.
Thirty one years after world's worst industrial disaster, CBI has pitched for maximum possible punishment to the seven Indian accused in the Bhopal gas tragedy - by treating each of the 3,800 deaths separately and seeking conviction for every single death. In essence, the accused would face 3,800 murder charges.
Indian accused include Keshub Mahendra, then chairman of UCIL, Vijay Gokhle, then managing director, Kishore Kamdar, then former vice-president, UCIL, Mumbai, J Mukund, then former works manager, UCIL, Mumbai, SP Choudhary, then former production manager, UCIL, Mumbai, KV Shetty, then plant superintendent, UCIL, Mumbai, SI Qureshi and the then production assistants, UCIL, Mumbai.
CBI is also looking forward to plead for criminal proceedings against officers of the then Arjun Singh government for colluding with Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson to ensure his safe return to US when he came to Bhopal on December 7, 1984, following the gas disaster.
Hearing would resume on June 18, 19 and 20.