The hearing in the Bhopal District Court in the ongoing Bhopal gas tragedy civil liability case resumed on Saturday at 12:30 pm, with senior advocates Ravindra Shrivastava and Siddharth Luthra representing Dow Chemical. The legal team argued for over an hour and a half, asserting that Dow Chemical is an American corporation and therefore not subject to the jurisdiction of Indian courts.

 

They reiterated that the company has no connection to the 1984 gas disaster and that the Indian Penal Code does not apply to them. Following their arguments, Dow Chemical requested additional time to present further submissions. The court granted the request and scheduled the next hearing for November 27.

 

This extension drew strong objections from lawyers representing gas victim organisations, who cited a standing High Court directive to expedite all matters related to Union Carbide and Dow Chemical. Senior advocates Avi Singh and Sarthak Tomar appeared on behalf of the Bhopal Group for Information and Action (BGIA),

 

while Inspector Gaurav Som and advocate Manphool Vishnoi represented the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Victim groups expressed frustration over the prolonged legal process, arguing that Dow Chemical has no substantive defense and is merely delaying proceedings. They emphasised the urgent need for accountability and justice, especially given the decades-long wait endured by survivors of the world’s worst industrial disaster.