Pay Rs 15.48 lakh compensation to kin of accident victim: Tribunal

The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has directed an insurance company, driver and owner of a car to pay Rs 15,48,000 compensation to parents of one Harjeet Singh, who died in an accident five years ago.

Sunita and Joginder Singh, residents of Karnal in Haryana, in a claim petition filed under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1985, said on November 10, 2019, their son Harjeet Singh was going from Babain town to Shahabad on an Activa scooter.

Around 5.30 pm when he reached Ladwa to Shahabad road, one Scorpio vehicle came from the opposite side and hit him. Harjeet Singh suffered multiple injuries, including a head injury and fracture in the left leg.

They claimed the driver of the vehicle was driving the vehicle in a rash and negligent way. Harjeet Singh was taken to local hospital at Shahabad

from there he was shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh, and later to PGI where he died on November 15, 2019.

The claimants said Harjeet Singh (21) was a photographer by profession. He used to prepare photographs and videos in various functions and was earning Rs 18,000 per month. Harjeet Singh was unmarried at the time of his death and his parents were fully dependent upon his income as he was sole breadwinner of the family.

On the other hand, the respondents driver and owner of the vehicle raised objection over the claim petition. They said the petition was not maintainable against them as no accident as alleged had ever taken place. They have been falsely implicated in the present case. They said the petition had been filed by the claimants on untrue facts.

After hearing of the arguments, the tribunal directed the respondents driver, owner and insurance company to pay Rs 15,48,000 to the claimants with interest at the rate of 9% per annum from the date of claim petition till realisation. They are jointly and severally liable to pay the amount of compensation.