Case: National Insurance Co.Ltd Vs. Rattani

4. The accident took place on 15th May, 2002 when deceased Sunil Kumar alongwith other injured persons, were travelling as members of a marriage party in a Tata 407 vehicle bearing registration No. HR-39-9869. Indisputably it was a goods vehicle. The first information report was lodged in relation thereto wherein the driver of the vehicle was made an accused.5. Separate claim petitions were filed by the heirs and legal representatives of the deceased as well as by the injured before the Motor Vehicles Claims Tribunal, Bhiwani.In the claim petition in question, the relevant portion of the claim form was filled up as underthe person in respect of the whom compensation is claimed, traveling in the motor vehicle involved in the accident, if so, give the name of station and start of journey and its destination?Yes, the deceased Sunil Kumar alongwith others was traveling as a Barati in the Tata 407 being driven by the respondent no.1 and they were returning after attending the marriage function from village Jharli tothe column `cause of accident with brief descriptions it wasfacts of the accident are that the deceased Sunil Kumar alongwith others was traveling in the capacity as Barati in Tata 407 in question and after attending the marriage function were returning from Jharli to village Kusumbhi in the Tata 407 which was being driven by the respondent no.1. The vehicle was being driven rashly, negligently and at a very high speed and inspite of warning to the respondent no.1 to drive the vehicle slowly the respondent no.1 continued driving rashly and negligently and on 15.5.2002 at about 6.30 PM when the vehicle after crossing Railway Phatak of Dhalwas and were going towards Sehlanga due to rash and negligent driving of respondent no. 1, the respondent no.1 lost control on the vehicle resulting to turn turtle and several persons suffered grievous injuries and deceased Sunil and one Photographer named Hazari died at the spot. On the statement of Rameshwar son of Akhey Ram, r/o. Mundhal Khurd, one of the eye witness and traveling as Barati FIR No. 98 dated 16.5.2002 was lodged against the respondent No.1, which contains the detailed manner of accident how it took place and be read as part of this petition. The respondents being the driver, owner and insurer, are jointly and severally liable to pay compensation to the petitioners.As a reference has been made to the first information report bearing No. 98 dated 16th May, 2002, which was lodged against the driver, first respondent in the claim petition, we may also notice the relevant portion of the contents thereof from the award of thereferred to the contents of FIR Ex. P2 wherein it is mentioned that all the members of marriage party were the occupants of the four wheeler and there was no mention that dowry articles or some furniture etc. were loaded in the vehicle.We are not oblivious of the fact that ordinarily an allegation made in the first information would not be admissible in evidence per se but as the allegation made in the first information report had been made a part of the claim petition, there is no doubt whatsoever that the Tribunal and consequently the appellate courts would be entitled to look into the same.8. However, in their depositions, the claimants raised a new plea, namely that the deceased and the other injured persons were travelling in the said truck as representatives of the owner of the goods.

Court's reasoning:
Ordinarily we would not have entered into the realm of appreciation of evidence but as the High Court failed and/or neglected to do so, we have no other option but to undertake the job of the High Court. The first information report which was brought on record, clearly proceeded on the basis that the deceased and the other injured persons were members of the marriagequestion as to whether burden of proof has been discharged by a party to the lis or not would depend upon the facts and circumstances of the case. If the facts are admitted or, if otherwise, sufficient materials have been brought on record so as to enable a court to arrive at a definite conclusion, it is idle to contend that the party on whom the burden of proof lay would still be liable to produce direct evidence to establish that the deceased and the injured passengers were gratuitousindicated hereinbefore, the First Information Report as such may or may not be taken into consideration for the purpose of arriving at a finding in regard to the question raised by the appellant herein, but, when the First Information Report itself has been made a part of the claim petition, there cannot be any doubt whatsoever that the same can be looked into for the aforementionedadmission made in the pleadings, as is well-known, is admissible in evidence proprio vigore. We, thus, are of the opinion that the Tribunal as also the High Court committed a serious error in opining that the insurance company was liable.