Life wasn’t easy in 10-yr fight for justice: Capt Kanwaljit’s driver

Amit Sharma

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 4

“Life has not been easy in the past 10 years. Despite permanent disability, I continued my struggle for justice and finally got it with the Supreme Court announcing a compensation of Rs 49.9 lakh,” said Parminder Singh (32), who was driving the ill-fated car that met with a mishap, leaving the then Punjab Cabinet Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh dead.

Capt Kanwaljit, along with his PSO and the driver, was returning from Ludhiana in a Hyundai Elantra, which belonged to a sarpanch, when the car collided with a truck at Khanpur village in Kharar. The accident took place also due to “contributory negligence” of another truck, which was wrongly parked on the road.

A decade after the accident, Parminder, who was then 22 years old, has been awarded a compensation of Rs 49.9 lakh.

The mishap changed Parminder’s life. He remained bed-ridden for several years. “I went through several surgeries that helped me survive,” he said. His dream of getting married was shattered with the accident. He is suffering from hemiplegia, due to which the left side of his body does not function properly.

His younger sister Harpreet Kaur said there were times when they didn’t have money to bear Parminder’s medical expenses. “We have witnessed very hard days during the past 10 years,” she said.

Harpreet, who is yet to get married, said Parminder had lots of responsibilities on his shoulders. “The compensation awarded by the court will help him fulfil his responsibilities and ensure a safe future,” she added.

Parminder had knocked the doors of the apex court, after the High Court awarded him a compensation of Rs 32.40 lakh. The Supreme Court raised it to Rs 49.9 lakh, stating that the driver had repeated hospitalisation and the need of future medical expenses and attendant charges were not taken note of by the High Court.

The court directed the insurance company to pay the enhanced amount of compensation and the firm is entitled to recover the amount from the owners and drivers of the two offending trucks.