Bhopal, Sept 17: A local court hearing the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy case today directed the CBI to produce more witnesses for cross examination before it in the future to expedite the proceedings. Chief Judicial Magistrate S N Dixit, while fixing October 30 for next hearing, asked CBI counsel C Sahaya to ensure production of more witnesses from that day for early disposal of the case relating to gas leak from union carbide plant here

During the two-day hearing ended here today, five witnesses were produced before the court of CJM. They included T P Rai, the then senior manager in Eastern Air Product Pvt Ltd which was adjacent Tomahesh Kushwaha, who was living near the UCIL factory when the gas leaked. Rai, during cross examination by Union Carbide counsel Rajendra Singh told the court that he had no knowledge of the impact of the poisonous methyl isocyanide (MIC) gas or precautionary measures needed in the event of its leak before the tragedy.

Rai said his company was supplying nitrogen gas to UCIL under an agreement.

Mahesh also said he was not told by anyone that MIC gas leak could be so disastrous.

Bureau Report