Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awards Rs 48 lakh to kin of two cousins who died in accident 10 years ago

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The Thane Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has awarded a compensation of more than Rs 48 lakh to the families of two cousins who lost their lives in a road accident in December 2014, news agency PTI reported.

The victims, 40-year-old Shyam Gopal Farde and Gurunath Govind Farde, 26, were residents of Farde Pada in Thane district's Shahapur area. The duo died after their two-wheeler was struck by a vehicle in Shelavli village on December 5, 2014.

In the copy of the order dated August 9 and made available on Monday, MACT Chairman SB Agrawal directed the owner of the vehicle as well as New India Assurance Company to compensate the victims' families. While Shyam Gopal Farde's family was awarded Rs 32.29 lakh, Gurunath Farde's family received Rs 16 lakh.

Additionally, both the families are entitled to interest at the rate of 7.5% per annum from the date of filing the claim, the Tribunal said. However, the Chairman clarified that no interest would be applicable to the compensation awarded on account of the future prospects.

The Tribunal rejected the arguments presented by the insurance company, as the Chairman found them to be "palpably frivolous."

The case was decided ex-parte against the vehicle's owner, who failed to appear before the tribunal, while the insurance company, represented by advocate AK Tiwari, contested the claim by the families on multiple grounds.

Advocate MA Pendse, who represented the petitioners, argued that the accident was a result of negligent driving by the driver of the four-wheeler at an excessively high speed.

The Tribunal's chairman held the respondents liable for the accident and ordered them to pay the compensation. He also noted that the insurance company's attempts to evade liability were unfounded and without merit.

In February, MACT had awarded a compensation of Rs 1.49 crore to the kin of a 39-year-old man who died after the SUV he was travelling in was hit by a bus near Nashik in 2018. Five other occupants of the SUV also died in the accident. The owner of the vehicle and United India Insurance Company Limited were asked to pay the victim's kin Rs 1.49 crore along with 7.50 per cent interest from the date of filing the petition.

(With PTI inputs)