Tribunal awards Rs 10.45 lakh compensation to kin of man killed by autorickshaw

Thane, Jul 4 (PTI) The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra’s Thane has awarded a compensation of Rs 10.45 lakh to the family of a man who died after being hit by an autorickshaw in 2019.

In his order of June 30, a copy of which was made available on Thursday, MACT Member R V Mohite directed the owner and insurer of the auto to jointly and severally pay the amount along with 9 per cent interest.

According to official documents, an autorickshaw crashed into one Mohammad Aslam Farukh Shaikh, then 54, in Mumbai’s Mulund area, on November 7, 2019. Shaikh suffered grievous injuries and died during treatment.

His family subsequently approached the MACT, seeking compensation.

While the auto driver did not attend the proceedings, the insurer cited a one-month delay in the registration of the FIR in its bid to avoid a payout. It also claimed that the auto driver did not have a valid licence.

“No doubt FIR came to be registered after 1 month of accident. But, lodging of FIR certainly proves factum of accident. Delay in doing so, cannot be the ground for rejecting the claim petition,” said the tribunal in the order.

Shaikh died due to rash and negligent driving by the auto driver, MACT held. It also found that the driver had a valid licence at the time of the accident, negating the insurer's claim of policy breach.

The tribunal then ordered that the victim’s kin be paid Rs 10.45 lakh with 9 per cent annual interest from the date of their petition. PTI COR NR