New Delhi, May 31 (PTI) Overuling objections, the CIC has directed External Affairs Ministry to disclose the communication between it and CBI on the issue of extradition of the then Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson in the Bhopal Gas tragedy case. The Central Information Commission (CIC) held that the sub-judice factor cited by the Ministry cannot be a sufficient ground for denying information to public. The External Affairs Ministry had objected to the disclosure of correspondence exchanged between it and CBI, saying it could adversely affect the Anderson extradition case as the matter is still sub-judice. The Ministry also said that it has not spent any money in the case.
Information Commissioner Annapurna Dixit said the matter is of significance to the general public especially to the families of the victims who have been awaiting justice for the past 26 years. The CIC direction came on an RTI application filed by Delhi’s Batla House resident Afroz Alam ‘Sahil’ who wanted details of the communication exchanged between the Ministry and CBI on Anderson’s extradition and the details of the money spent till date by the Ministry in the Bhopal case. “It is also a matter of general awareness that the case related to the extradition of Mr Warren Anderson has been heard and judgment reserved by the Supreme Court recently. Therefore, no question of impeding the process of extradition arises,” Dixit said in her order. “The commission directs the public authority to provide all the information as available with them in their official records relating to the matter, and as sought by the complainant, by or within June 10, 2011,” she said.
Source: IBNLive.com
