Traffic Police: Pune: Rs1-crore relief ordered in Pune road rage case

The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) has directed New India Assurance Company Ltd and one Shabbir Babulal Chaugule to pay up Rs1 crore, including interest, to family members of plant manager of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Sudam Shripatrao Auti, who was killed in a road mishap.

Presiding officer of the tribunal, DR Mahajan, passed the order on April 29, directing tempo owner, Shabbir Chougule and the insurance company to pay the amount jointly to the bereaved family. The deceased hailed from Rajuri in Junnar taluka of Pune district.

On May 25, 2006, at 11.30 am, Sudam and four relatives were proceeding towards Ozar on Ahmednagar-Kalyan Road in his Maruti Alto car.

Sudam was driving the car when a tempo driven by Mansur, son of Shabbir Chougule, collided head-on with it near Rajuri village. The mishap resulted in the instantaneous deaths of Sudam, his sister-in-law Sulochana (36) and her daughter Manisha (18).

A case of death due to negligence, rash and negligent driving against Mansur was lodged at Narayangaon police station. The case remains pending.

On July 11, 2006, Seema and other family members filed a petition before the tribunal through lawyers Atul Gunjal and AP Tadkalkar demanding compensation of Rs1 crore with 15 % interest.

Gunjal said the court had observed that the accident took place due to rash and negligent driving by the tempo driver. The spot panchnama also confirmed the fact of rash and negligence driving by the tempo driver, the court observed.

According to Gunjal, the court computed the total amount of compensation of Rs71.86 lakh with 7% interest, keeping in mind loss of dependency and love and affection, among other things.

The court took into consideration several facts, including the salary certificate of Sudam, who was earning Rs52,000 per month and Rs12,100 as allowances while working as manager with RIL’s Patalganga plant in Raigad district, to arrive at the amount of compensation. The tempo was insured with the New India Assurance Company Ltd.

The insurance company’s contention that Sudam was allegedly talking on the cellphone and was trying to overtake another vehicle did not cut much ice with the tribunal since the company failed to produce evidence.

The judge observed, “It appears that the insurance company prepared a false story to put blame on the car driver.”