The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Mumbai, has been mired with allegations of sexual misconduct by the accounts officer in charge of disbursing claims and compensation to road accident victims.
The tribunal deals with claims relating to the loss of life, property and injury cases resulting from motor accidents.
Accounts officer KG Karve has been sent on compulsory leave pending an inquiry by the MACT chairman, based on the complaint by a woman contract employee of the accident tribunal court.
The survivor had complained of inappropriate touching and sexual advances in the chamber of the accounts officer to the MACT chairman NK Brahme.
The action has led to chaos in disbursal of claims settlements in absence of the account officer who has been on leave since September 14, 2022, following complaints of sexual harassment in the court premises opposite Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus station.
“An average of 20-30 claims are settled by the tribunal daily, which have piled up. After lifting of the lockdown, with the full functioning of courts, about 250 cases are filed every month by accident victims and their families for compensation claims, while another 7,000 cases are pending,” alleged an advocate practicing in MACT.
While MACT Registrar Ashok Potawe denied any claims had been held up, he admitted that the accounts officer was on leave and an additional charge was transferred to him for settlement of claims.
“The tribunal chairman has given additional charge to my office for disbursing compensation claims to accident victims. I have no further information about the case,” said Potawe.
Potawe also declined to comment on the sexual misconduct complaints against Karve. Free Press Journal attempted to contact Karve on his mobile several times but he remained unavailable for a comment.
