JUSTICE UNDONE !
Ahmadi’s links with carbide for lifetime
Bhopal: Justice A M Ahmadi, who, as the Chief Justice of India, along with fellow judge SB Majumdar, diluted the charges against Union Carbide Corporation and its officials in the Bhopal gas leak case, has been in a way associated with carbide and its victims even after the infamous verdict.
In fact, the former Chief Justice of India is the chairman of a hospital trust set up with Union Carbide’s money. Justice Ahmadi was appointed lifetime chairman of the trust on his retirement by the Supreme Court itself.
The appointment, it will be recalled, had led to a flutter in legal circles at that time with eminent Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaisingh opposing it on the grounds that Ahmadi had provided relief to carbide officials accused in the Bhopal criminal case. In October 1991 the Supreme Court had directed Union Carbide Corporation, US, to finance a 500-bed hospital for the long term medical care of survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster. In response, Union Carbide set up the Bhopal Hospital Trust (BHT) in February 1992 in England with its former attorney (Sir Ian Percival) as the sole trustee and with just US $ 1000 as its contribution. The rest of the funds off the BHT came from the sale of Union Carbide’s Indian shares that were confiscated by the Bhopal District court after proclaiming the company absconder in the criminal cases pending against it.
The Bhopal District Court had maintained that the money for the (hospital) fund should come from the company’s own coffers and that the shares of the Indian subsidiary (of the Union Carbide) would remain attached until the accused appeared in court.
The sale was, however, permitted by the Supreme Court by revising the Bhopal District Court order. In August 1998 the BHT was Indianalised to form the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Trust (BMHT). Following the death of Sir Ian Percival, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ahmadi was made the chairperson of BMHT.
In fact, the former Chief Justice of India is the chairman of a hospital trust set up with Union Carbide’s money. Justice Ahmadi was appointed lifetime chairman of the trust on his retirement by the Supreme Court itself.
The appointment, it will be recalled, had led to a flutter in legal circles at that time with eminent Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaisingh opposing it on the grounds that Ahmadi had provided relief to carbide officials accused in the Bhopal criminal case. In October 1991 the Supreme Court had directed Union Carbide Corporation, US, to finance a 500-bed hospital for the long term medical care of survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster. In response, Union Carbide set up the Bhopal Hospital Trust (BHT) in February 1992 in England with its former attorney (Sir Ian Percival) as the sole trustee and with just US $ 1000 as its contribution. The rest of the funds off the BHT came from the sale of Union Carbide’s Indian shares that were confiscated by the Bhopal District court after proclaiming the company absconder in the criminal cases pending against it.
The Bhopal District Court had maintained that the money for the (hospital) fund should come from the company’s own coffers and that the shares of the Indian subsidiary (of the Union Carbide) would remain attached until the accused appeared in court.
The sale was, however, permitted by the Supreme Court by revising the Bhopal District Court order. In August 1998 the BHT was Indianalised to form the Bhopal Memorial Hospital Trust (BMHT). Following the death of Sir Ian Percival, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ahmadi was made the chairperson of BMHT.
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