Extradition of Ex-Carbide Chief Sought in India

An Indian court Friday requested the extradition of a retired American executive to face homicide charges for the 1984 Bhopal gas disaster that killed thousands of people. His company condemned the action.

In addition to the extradition request, which must be approved by India’s government before being forwarded to the United States, the court also issued an arrest warrant for Warren Anderson, formerly of Union Carbide Corp.

In an angry statement, Union Carbide said Anderson, the company’s chief executive at the time of the gas leak, had nothing to do with the operation of its Indian subsidiary in Bhopal, which it said is 49.1% Indian-owned.

“Anderson’s only connection was after the tragedy when he attempted to bring aid and relief to the victims in Bhopal,” the company said in a statement from its Danbury, Conn., headquarters.

At least 4,037 people have died from inhaling the poisonous methyl isocyanate gas released during the accident Dec. 3, 1984, at the Bhopal pesticide plant, according to Madhya Pradesh state officials.

The extradition order for Anderson, 70, was issued by India’s chief judicial magistrate, Gulab Sharma.

The order came nearly three months after India’s magistrates court charged Anderson with the equivalent of manslaughter, and ordered him to appear in court Feb. 1. Anderson did not appear.

More than 600,000 people have demanded compensation, funds which have been withheld because of legal wrangles.

The Indian government initially demanded $3 billion in damages but accepted $470 million under a February, 1989, agreement. Accruing interest has swelled the amount to more than $503 million.