A Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has ordered over Rs 66 lakh in compensation to the minor children, widow, and mother of a 28-year-old who died in 2013 after a Bolero jeep knocked him and his friend down while they were on a bike.
The fateful incident took place on December 24, 2012, when Goregaon resident Baban Sangale, a self-employed diploma holder in dairy administration and animal husbandry was on his way with his friend from Sangamner to Nirman.
The friends had reached Kanhe village in Ahmednagar district around 5.30 pm when a jeep allegedly came from the opposite direction and hit the two-wheeler.
Sangale had sustained head injury among other injuries and died during treatment some days later at a Nashik hospital where he was taken later for better treatment. The family had claimed Rs 94 lakh in compensation from the owner of the jeep and its insurer.
The Bolero’s owner had not appeared before the tribunal despite being given the notice. The insurance company, New India Assurance Co. Ltd., had claimed in its response to the petition that the accident was caused due to the sole negligence or contributory negligence of Sangale and denied the claims for compensation of his family. It, however, did not present any verbal or documentary evidence to substantiate its claims.
Sangale’s family had claimed that he earned Rs 40,000 per month. The tribunal said in its judgment that no evidence is brought to prove the claim. It then considered his notional income at Rs 20,000 per month to calculate the compensation.
Tribunal member KR Joglekar directed that of the amount, Rs 5 lakh be given to Sangale’s mother, Rs 10 lakh each be invested in a nationalized bank for his children till they attain 18 years of age and thereupon be given to them. The remaining amount is to be given to his widow.
