40 AO N03542 of 2002 1 IN TliE HlGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDICARH FAO N03542 of 2002 lOatcof dccision lg 12010 1 Om Parkash and anothcr 0 Appcllantse C I versus C5 I Vcdpalandothcrs Z C Present Mr NKinra Advocatc lor thc appellants 1 RakcshNehra Advocalc for No l and 2 Mr I lv FPGupta Advocatc fcli Insurancc Crlinpany 08 rn KCPURI J V7 Z 13ythis coininon order I intcnd to dlsposctlf FAO No542 of 2002 titled as Om Parkash and anothcr vs Vcdpal and othcrs and FAO N03661 of 2002 titled as Vcdpaland anothcr vs Om Parkash and others as both thcsc matlcrs arise frotn the san1c award FAO No542 of 2002 titlcd as tlm Parkash and anothcr VSe Vedpaland tlthers has bccn prcferrcdby the appellantsfor enhancementof thc claiIn whcreasFAO No661 of 2002 titlcd as Vedpal and anothcr vs Om Parkash and others has becn Olcd for settino aside lhe impugnedAward passedby lhe IcarnedMotor Accidcnl Claiins Tribunal Jhaiiarin shtIrl Cliiiills ltibunall 17idciillpLtgncd Aw21tddatcd . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 41 41A09 No 3542 01 2002 2 62002 1or collvcnicilcc OIcls arc bcii18lakcll lolll 1A1 Ntl3542 of 2002 Ilc casc of lllc claitllaills in bricf is thal oll 20 1999 at abclul 730 AM 19ccpak aS 8 0 111880111Jhajjarlo by JecpNo Hll 17369 and whcn thc Jccp rcachcd aboul 34 M 1ionl Jhallara lluck C2111C fronl tllc opposilcdircctlon and lhc drivcr 0ccp could nol conlrol 0 C over lhe Jccpand hil lhc SiiillC 1ll lhc Iruck and duc to this accidcnt IOccpak I rcccivcd fatal iiljliricsand succlimbccl ltl Ilis iiliutic9in lhc Ilosliial 1Ilc C5 I accidclll look placcdlic lcl lllc rilsh and tleglicill t1Jccp diivcl Z NoA did nol 21opc21riIl thc Courl dcspitcrepcatcd calIs and lhcrclorc hc was procccdcdagaitlsl CX parlc vidc ordcr dalcd lr 1 2000 I 08 hc pclitionIvas ctllltc9tct1b lhe rcnlailllil No 1 and 2 IiIccl oint IVrltcn statCIllCil l and 7 Z pleadedthal thc acciclcnl look placcduc to rash and ncgligcntdriving0f CL truck bcaringNo I lRl26 No 11Icd scparalcHrillCll SllltClllClll lhc petitionlic has not spcciOcaliy denicd thc occurrencc of accidcnt Il is pleadcdIhal lllc accidcill h215bccn causcd bythc drivcl cll IccjoNt 1IR26 I477369 and lhcrclor respondcnlNo IS nt 1ahlc lo pay thc COlllpen satl Oll RcspondcntNc3 also Illcd scplritc IVrIllCll SlalClllClll pleading lhal lhe dnvcr of jccp W21S nol hoIcIillO I Iid ind e11cclivc drivine liccncc at lhe liinc 01 accidcnl ancl dcccascd l cpik Was lravclliilo as an unaulllorizcd passcllgcr itl thc allcgcdvehiclc on lhc datc of accidctlt lt . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 42 FAO N03542 3 14 was that no accidenl iook placcwith Jccp No HRe264777369and lhcpelilioncrs concoclcd a false story onlylc grabfalsc om theansweringrcspondenl Claimants Oled replicationrcitcratine their claiin and 1 r lhe asscrtionsofthc 0 FrOlll thc of lhe parlieslhc followingISSUCS Were C Iramedvide order datcd 2 1820004 I C5 1 Whcther SOll o Oin Parkash dicd in a road side I accidcnt which look placcon 20 1999 al 73O AMon Z Road Ivithin lhc jlirisdictioilof IS Jhjjar ducto rashand negligcntdrivingon the partof I No l lhe driver of Jeep No26497369 as alleged C45 OPP r 2 Whclhcr thc driver of thc jccp was nol holdine a valid 7 Z drivingIiccncc at lhc limc 01allegcdaccident ifso to whal cffect2 OPR3 3 Whcther the pctilioncrsare cntilled to an award of and if so for 110WIlluCll alllOunt alld Iroln ivhom OPP 4 Relief 6AdditionalISSUC1 whctherdcccascd was lravelling as 2111unauthoriscdpassengcraild lllc jeeIOwas uscd ior lhc otherlhan Ior whicllit was inSlIrCd ln ordet 10 establish its casc Om Parkash claimanl himself as Pla l as his own witncss and also examined I akhini Chand On thc othcr hand rcspondcnts cxamincd Rajinder Siilgh Ahllnad . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 43 AO No542 of 2002 4 l fl of thc Court of Ch ief Judicial Magistralc Jhajjar as RWell NCManchanda IW21 RajcndcrSingh lM31 and closed lheit evideilcc Thc Icarncdtrial Court aftcr appraisal clf thc cvidencc returned a flndingthat accidcnl has takcn placeduc lo negligcnceof 1 driver ofJcepNo I Illl697369 and truck NollRl26Whilc dcciding lssue No l il was hcld that drivingIiccnce of rcspondcntNo l Icdpal 0 C driver of thejecpls fake one and as such respondent Nos I and 2 arc Iiable I lo pay lhe atnount of and COlllpaily is nol Iiable to C0 I payllle san Additional issuc was dccidcd againsltlle rcspondenlsWhilc Z dccidingissue No it was Ileld lllal the claimanls arc lcgal hcir of deccasedccpakand wcrc held enlitlcd tcl claim of Rs 1822441 along wilh inleresl 9Yo pa froIn thc datc clf filinglhc pcliliontill its actual I C45 rcalizalion holdingthe respondetllNcls 124 2iIld 5 lo inake aloresaid oo payineilt jointlyand severally Nos l and 2 wcIc hcld Iiiiblc to 7 Z paythe amounl to thc cxlcnt of 40Io of thc lolal alvardcd amountto the ciaiinanis whcrcas Ncls and 5 werc hcld Iiable to makepaymcntto thc cxtcnt of 60Io of thc lotal alvardcd anlounl dissatisllcd with thc abovc said Award clf the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal Jllajjarlhc Ilavep1e17ed the FAO N03542 of 2002 for cnhanccnlenl of coinpensation whcrcas respondcnlNos l and 2 havcprcfcrrcd scparalcappcalNo66 1 of 2002 for thetn fiom payingthc atllOllilt lil lllo72Illeitlatilc llle IiibilitI be fastcncdupoll lhc Illsllr21i1cc No I have heard Icarncd counscl f0r tllc joarlles and pcrusedlhe caseIlle . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 44 FAO N03542 of 2002 5 W r 1lrst of all lhe lAO No66 1 of 2002 prefcrred by Nos and 2 shall bc taken up for discussion for cxonerating thcinfronl thc paymcntofthc Award anlcllltll Thc counscl for thc appcl lanls has subtnitlcd thal lhe Iiability ofthc appellanls can be Ileld and scvcrallyalongwilh lhc Insurance A copy ofthe valid insuranccpolicyin rcspcctclf jcepNo 11R 0 0 26E17369 hasbccn placcd on the rccord by the 1nsurancc CotnpanyThe I Iiabilily of theappcllants has bccn hcld to thc cxtcnt cIf40Io on accounl of C5 I contributorvneglience he InsuratlccCompanyhas nol onlyto prove thc Z factthat driver of the vehiclc was not holdinga valid drivingIiccnce but has also to provc the fact that owncr has lhe knowlcdgcthat driver was holding a fakc liccncc 1 hc 014I1lcr IlasclnploltcdVcdpalal ter due inquiry I a5 thathe was holdine a liccncc Whcthcr the liccncc is fakc one or not was OO not in the knowlcdge of the owner1e appel lant Dharanl Pal and as such 7 Z thcInsuranccCoinpany should bc hcldjointlyand scvcrallyIiliblc to pay tlle aIllOUnt I havc carcliillyconsidercdthc said subInission and have goile throuehthe recordsof thc casc hc Ilicl that drivingIiccncc Mark R l by VcdpalIS nota valid Iicencc and fakc one has nol bccn disputedduringlhc coursc of areuments Otherwiscalso lhe cvidcncc oil thc l Ie is sufIlcienl to prove thatMark RI is a fakc docuincnt 1 hc owncr cail avoid thc liabilily onlv if hetakesa standthal hc hascnlplovcdVcdp2llafler duc lncjuiryand willlut any knowlcdgcof thc fact thtit liccncc hcld bv Vcdpal was Iakc one l lowcvcr DharatnPal owner has ncithci plcadcdthc said fact norhascome . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 45 1 j AO No542 01 2002 6 rl into the witness box to dcposelhc fact that hc has employcdVedpal bclicvingthat hc was Iloldinga valid driving liccncc So in these circuinstanccslhc insurancc coinpany cannot be hcld Iiable in view of National lnsurancc Co ltd vs Swaran Sinehand othc 1 AecidentsClaims Journal 4VoleIlpaoc l COe However the award of r lhe trial Court is rccluircd to be modiIlcd lo lhc cxtctll sincc lllcrc was a 0 0 valid insuranccpolicyand as such National lnsurancc Company is Iiablc to I C pay lhe ainount ol thc sharc of Nos l and 2 to thc claiinants I However thc National Insurancc Companyshall be entitled to recover the Z amounl frotn cllvncr aller inakinglhc payincnl ol ainouill to thc claiillants e lhc appcalprcfcrrcdby owner and the driver stands disinissedwith tllc inodification in lhc Award as detailcd above I C6 Now rcvcrting to appcalprcfcrrcdby thc claimants lor rn cnhanceinent Ihc claItnanlsin this casc arc parciltsof 7 Z Lcarncd tl deceasedeepak was workingas a salcsnlan in Rocket and Coalinent CoinpanyNcw IOclhi and lvas drawing a salary f Rs0001 pcr montll I3ul the Icarilcd trial Court has asscsscd lhc incotne 0f dcccascd only Rs19001oer inonth he dependcilcyof Rs12671 pcr month has been asscssedand calculatcd yearlydcpendency to Rs15041 Itis contcnded lhal Illultiplicrof I l clnly alvardcdbv tllc lrial Courl ison Iolversidc Thc agec11the dcccased was only 20 ycars and as such nlultiplicris on Iowcr sid lt is I urlher contendcd lllal no aillounl has bccn grantcdlo the appellanl in respccl01 tnedical cxpcnscs All thc bills havc bccn prtlduced on thc Iilc I1lc ainount of lls 100001 rcgardingIiincral cxpcnscs alld . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 46 1AO No542 of 2002 7 1 r Rs30001 fOr of dcccascd is llso 011 Iowcr sidc lt is furthcr contcndcd thal 111 VlCW of aulhorilv Natitlnal lnsurancc Coe Ltdes easc 4supralNatiotlal Insurancc Companyis Iiablc to indcintlif3t appcllants Om Parkash has givcn his agc as 50 ycars IvhiIc appearineas his own 1 IVIlnCSSe Agcof lhe parcllls is rclcvant Iot calculaliilglhc amount of r in rcspcct of uninarricdson 0 0 ln authoritv SmtSarla Vcrma and othcrs vs Delhi 0 I TransportCorpooItkIn and atther33 RCR LC11 thc C5 Honble ApexCourt hcld lhal inultiplicrapplicablc iil lhc aee oround of46 Z lo 50 is 13 So1 am 0f the considercd vicw that thc lnultiplicrapplicable lothc claimants shotild bc 13 nstcadofll eranledbvlhc trialCourlSc1t I a5 as lhe amount of incomc 01 thc dcccascd and dcpcildcncv of Rs l 2671 pcr monthcalculatcd by lhc triaI Courl are conccrncd lllal docs not nced any 7 Z interIercilcc tl S0 ltl this inanncr thc cliiiillanls arc hcld cnlitlcd lo clailll Rs30A081more The amount granlcdin respcclof Iuncral cxpcnses and of deceasedhas been corrcctlygrlinledIlowever from the stalement of clalinanlOlll Parkash PV I Il 1S rcvcalcd lhal IOccpak died in PGIMS Rclhtakallct l 20 daysof lhc accidcilland lhat facl has been established lll thc crclssexalninaliotl clf Om Parkash I hc claiinants havc produccd on Illc thc incdical bi lls amIunling t0 Rs60901 Bul thosc havc not bccn cxhibilcd 1lc Molor Vchlclcs Acl 1sa Iorlatc lcgislalicnaild Ivascnactcd with a view lo givcrclicf tcl lhc r021dl1ictiillscxpcditiotisleSo kceping in vielv tllc fiicl lhat dccc2d rcmaincdadmiltcclin lC7IMS 11ollt1ik . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document 47 1AO No542 of 2002 8 r for 1 20 days thc claiinanls are Ileld cnlillcd lo clailn iii1 alllount Of Rs 180001 in rcspccl of nlcdical cxpcnscs andcxpcnscs of tllcir stay in lhe PCiIMS Rohlak So kccpingin VlCW the abovc discussion thc clainlants are entitledfor enhancenlentofthc thc appcalprefcrrcdby lllc 0 0 slandsparlly and tlle rcpcndcillsarc dircctcd tc illakc thc paIillcnl I of Rs00001 Ill addition tcl lhc anlounl granlcdby lhc lrial C0uIl along C5 I wth interest o ftrill the dalc ofpclitionlIl rcalization Z Stl 1ar a thc liabilityis conccrned 2Is discusscd abovc 60 amounl shal1 bc paidb1 Orlcllt2ll IllSLlrIIlCCClillpiny lhe Insurcr of truckNoliRK26 he rctnaiiliilg 40 aillc1l1111cf lllc cilllailccd anlcIiiilt as I a5 well as thc aInount awarded by thc rlbunal shall bc paidby thc National I IlSUrIlCC CIlnpanybcin Insurance Coillpaill ol Jccp Ncll IR2640117369 7 Z 1Iowevcr tllc Natiotlal Iilsurancc ColltpanIlis Ilcll cIllillcd lrI tecclllcr tlle Ll said alnouill ft0111IOharalnPal cllvncr aller inakillgthc jaylllenl tc claitnants 1loWCVCr If any amounl has alrcadybccn paidby Vcdpalor Dharanl Pal lo lhe clainlanls lhc Iiabilitv ol lhc National Insurancc Conlpanylo thal cxlcnt l0 pav thc anlount lo thcclainlants shall be reduced A cclpy of this udgnIcillbc scnl l0 I hc trial Cotirt Ior slrict KPlJRI I JlJilCl Januaryl 2111Il Sl r rOe 1 1 lP3 . Anita 2012.08.30 13: 31 True Scanned Copy Of The Original PHHC,Chandigarh JOYTI RANI 2016.03.28 15:56 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document