Tribunal awards total Rs 54 lakh to four victims of 2021 road accident; blames driver for negligence

Thane, Jan 8 (PTI) The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Maharashtra's Thane has awarded a compensation of nearly Rs 54 lakh to four victims of a road accident that occurred in 2021 in Jalgaon district, including over Rs 32 lakh to the family members of a man who died in it.

Out of the total compensation amount of Rs 53.95 lakh, three injured persons were given more than Rs 21 lakh.

The order on four separate petitions linked to the accident was passed by tribunal member R V Mohite on January 2.

The accident took place on the Mumbai-Agra National Highway shortly after the midnight of May 19, 2021 when a multi-utility vehicle (MUV) was carrying several passengers towards Aakhatwadi in Jalgaon district.

"The driver was driving in a reckless, rash and negligent manner at high and excessive speed. He could not control the vehicle, due to which it veered off the road and hit a rock," the tribunal said.

The impact of the crash was so severe that it resulted in the death of Rajendra Namdev Pawar and caused serious, life-altering injuries to three other passengers.

The insurance company contested the claims, arguing that the accident was caused by an unknown truck suddenly applying brakes and that the MUV was being used as a "gratuitous passenger carrier" in breach of policy terms.

However, the MACT dismissed the defence, and said, "The accident took place due to the sole negligence of the driver." It also noted that the police had registered an FIR under sections 279, 337, 338, and 304 (A) of the Indian Penal Code against driver Rajendra Tukaram Gadhari.

The tribunal held the vehicle owner and the insurer jointly and severally liable to pay the compensation, and imposed a 9 per cent interest per annum from the date of petition.

The family members of deceased Rajendra Pawar were granted Rs 32,48,550, while three others - Sandip Pardeshi, Vishal Gadhari and Shakuntala Gadhari - who suffered multiple injuries in the accident, were awarded Rs 16,73,650, Rs 2,69,013 and Rs 2,04,573 respectively. PTI COR NP