“Last request for extradition made in 2008”

FILE - In this Dec. 10, 1984 file photo, Warren Anderson, the head of Union Carbide Corp. at the time of the gas leak from its plant in Bhopal in India, speaks in Danbury, Conn. An Indian court on Monday, June 7, 2010 convicted seven former senior employees of Union Carbide's Indian subsidiary, not including Anderson, of "death by negligence" for their roles in the Bhopal gas tragedy that left an estimated 15,000 people dead more than a quarter century ago. (AP Photo/Ron Frehm, File)

India stopped making requests to the U.S. for extradition of the former Union Carbide chief, Warren Anderson, two years ago following the investigating agencies' inability to provide additional evidence sought by Washington, official sources said here on Wednesday.

The admission comes against the backdrop of Law Minister Veerappa Moily's statement that the case against Mr. Anderson was not over and he could still be tried in the country. “No. Legally and technically we can't say it. The case against him is still on … he can be obtained. He can still be tried,” Mr. Moily said on Tuesday.

The sources said the request for extradition was renewed a number of times and when Ambassador Ronen Sen forwarded the last request in September 2008, the U.S. responded by pointing out that the letter did not meet the relevant provisions of the India-U.S. Extradition Treaty.

The Ministry of External Affairs had been requesting the investigating agencies to give the needful additional information that would enable it to press its extradition request with greater vigour. While ruling out a review of the Treaty, the sources said, “the U.S. has said sufficient evidence has to be provided. That is where the matter ends.”