New Delhi: The Rajasthan State Roadways Transport Department has been directed by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) to pay nearly Rs 13 lakh to the family of a youth who died after being hit by a rashly driven bus here.
The tribunal directed the department to pay Rs 12,85,224 to the mother of 26-year-old Ravinder Singh, who died in the accident on February 1, 2013.
While awarding the compensation, the tribunal said the department was "vicariously liable" for the act of the driver of the bus.
"In view of the testimony of the petitioners/family and witnesses and documents on record, the negligence of respondent no 1 (driver) has been prima facie proved.”
"Respondents no 2 (Rajasthan Roadways Department) shall deposit the award amount directly in bank account of the petitioner no 2 (mother) within 30 days," MACT Presiding Officer Harish Dudani said.
The MACT officer did not consider the rest of the family as dependant on Ravinder because the victim`s father was still working.
The tribunal, while awarding the compensation, rejected the contention of the driver and the department who alleged that a false complaint had been made against them on hearsay evidence and the FIR had been lodged falsely in connivance with the police.
The petition, filed by the mother, father and two sisters of Ravinder, had sought Rs one crore as compensation for the untimely death of Ravinder who was single and worked as a Disc Jockey on a salary of Rs 36,500.
However, the tribunal was not convinced by the salary mentioned by Ravinder`s family due to lack of proper documents to prove the same.
The petitioners had contended that late at night on February 1, 2013, Ravinder, a Lajpat Nagar resident, was on his way back home on a motorcycle from Gurgaon.
When he was crossing the Mahipalpur flyover, a bus, belonging to the Rajasthan Roadways Department, hit his motorcycle, they said.
Due to the impact, Ravinder fell down and sustained injuries. They told the tribunal that he was declared brought dead at the AIIMS JPN Trauma Centre where he was taken after the accident.
