In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh F.A.0. No. 4367 of 2008 Date of decision: July 01, 2009 Smt. Sunita and others .. Appellants Vs. Fateh Mohammad and others .. Respondents Coram: Hon'ble Mr. Justice A.N. Jindal Present: Mr. Rajesh Arora, Advocate for the appellants. Mr. D.P. Gupta, Advocate for the Insurance Company. A.N. Jindal, J Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Gurgaon, vide its award dated 7.3.2008 awarded a sum of Rs.5,30,000/- along with interest @ 7.5% per annum from the date of filing of the petition till realization against the respondents No.1 to 3, jointly and severely. Out of the awarded amount, the petitioner No.1 being widow was to receive a sum of Rs.3 lacs and the petitioners No.2 and 3, minor children, were to receive Rs.1 lac each and balance sum of Rs.30,000/- was to be received by the petitioner No.4. The compensation amount awarded to the petitioners No.1 and 2 was to be deposited in a fixed deposit with a nationalised bank which was to be received by them on attaining the age of majority. Out of the amount awarded to the petitioner No.1, a sum of Rs.50,000/- was to be paid to her in cash and the rest of the amount was to be deposited in a fixed deposit with some nationalised bank fetching maximum interest for a period of three years. Similarly, out of the compensation awarded, the petitioner No.4 was to receive a sum of Rs.10,000/- in cash and the remaining amount was to be deposited in a fixed deposit scheme. Being dissatisfied with the said award, the appellants have come up for enhancement. The deceased at the time of accident was 27 years old and was working as driver on the Canter. As regards the income of the deceased, Rakesh Kumar (PW4), has deposed that the monthly salary of the deceased F.A.0. No. 4367 of 2008 -2- *** was Rs.7000/-, but the Tribunal disbelieved the rate of the salary and observed that he must be drawing Rs.4000/- only from Rakesh Kumar on account of the salary as driver. In the absence of any record maintained by Rakesh Kumar and none production of the income tax return by him, the Tribunal was justified in disbelieving that the deceased Bhoop Singh was drawing Rs.7000/- per month as salary and it appears that the Tribunal has rightly observed that his income was only Rs.4000/- per month. Keeping in view the age, income, dependency, his contribution towards family, the Tribunal applied multiplier of 17, which was appropriate in the instant case. Consequently, finding no merit in the appeal, the same is dismissed. July 01, 2009 (A.N. Jindal) deepak Judge