2015 Supreme(Kar) 1361
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT GULBARGA BENCH
B. SREENIVAS GOWDA, J.
JAYA SURESH WAGHELA AND OTHERS - Appellant
Versus
SURESH BALA WAGHELA AND OTHERS - Respondent
Misc. First Appeal No. 30967 of 2010 (MV)
Decided on : 01-09-2015
Advocate Appeared:
For the Appellant : Sanganagouda V. Biradar.
For the Respondent: Shivanand Patil.
Headnote:
Motor Vehicles Act - Section 163A and 147 – Accident - Claim petition - Seeking compensation - Challenged - Deceased while riding a motorcycle bearing registration No. MH-13-A-1433 hereinafter referred to as motorcycle at Pandrapur city, he met with an accident and died - His mother, wife and two minor daughters filed a claim petition in MVC No. 784/2007 before MACT seeking compensation under section 163A of Motor Vehicles Act (hereafter referred to as M.V. Act for short) from owner and insurer of motorcycle - Respondents who are owner and insurer of motorcycle after entering appearance before Tribunal have filed their separate statement of objections. Respondent No. 1 owner of the vehicle in his statement of objection has contended that claim petition filed by claimants is not maintainable and he has denied other averments made in claim petition - Whether deceased had travelled in motorcycle either as owner or rider of motorcycle and his risk covered under personal accident claim – Held, Tribunal considering the admission made by PWs. 1 and 2 and contents of the complaint, spot panchanama and charge-sheet marked as Exs. P1, P2 and P3 respectively has rightly held while was riding motorcycle city due to his own negligence he fell down from motorcycle and died, on account of negligent driving by himself and he was not a third party to accident and consequently does not come within purview of section 147 of M.V. Act and consequently his risk is not covered under policy - Admittedly respondent No. 1 - owner of motorcycle and admittedly deceased Pramod did not ride motorcycle as rider under owner of vehicle - Deceased having himself being tortfeasor his risk is not covered either under third party liability or under personal accident coverage - Considering this material aspect of matter Tribunal was justified in dismissing claim petition by answering issue No. 2 in negative and holding claimants are not entitled to claim compensation - Court have carefully gone through finding of Tribunal on issue No. 2 and do not find any illegality or infirmity warranting Court interference - Appeal is dismissed
B. SREENIVAS GOWDA, J.
1. This appeal is by the claimants challenging the judgment and award passed by the Tribunal in dismissing their claim petition. Appellant had taken out notice to respondent No. 1 thrice. On the first occasion it was returned with a postal shara (Not known), on the second occasion it was returned with some postal shara which not clear and on the third occasion it was returned with a postal shara (Addressee left).
2. Today also learned counsel for the appellants seeks time to take steps to issue notice to respondent No. 1.
3. Before considering the request made by the learned counsel for the appellants for grant of time to take steps to issue notice to respondent No. 1, I have heard the learned counsel for the appellants on merit and have perused the judgment and award passed by the Tribunal to find out whether there is merit in the case and any useful purpose will be served in granting time and found that there is no merit in the case and no useful purpose will be served in granting time.
4. That on 18.12.2014 deceased Pramod while riding a motorcycle bearing registration No. MH-13-A-1433 hereinafter referred to as motorcycle at Pandrapur city, he met with an accident and died. His mother, wife and two minor daughters filed a claim petition in MVC No. 784/2007 before MACT Bijapur seeking compensation under section 163A of the Motor Vehicles Act (hereafter referred to as M.V. Act for short) from the owner and the insurer of the motorcycle.
5. Respondents who are the owner and insurer of the motorcycle after entering appearance before the Tribunal have filed their separate statement of objections. Respondent No. 1 owner of the vehicle in his statement of objection has contended that claim petition filed by the claimants is not maintainable and he has denied other averments made in the claim petition. He has contended that he has insured the vehicle with respondent No. 2 therefore he is not liable to pay compensation to the claimants and it is respondent No. 2 who is liable to pay compensation.
6. Respondent No. 2 insurer of motorcycle in their statement of objections have contended that claim petition is not maintainable and they denied the motorcycle was insured with them as on 18.12.2004 and they contended that petitioners and respondent No. 1 are put strict proof of their case. They denied other averments made in the claim petition. They contended deceased Pramod himself is responsible for the accident and claimants are not entitled for compensation from the insurer and they prayed for dismissal of the claim petition.
7. The Tribunal based on the rival contentions of the parties has framed the following issues:
1. Whether petitioners (claimants) prove that, on 18.12.04 at about 12:30 hours when Pramod was driving the motorcycle MH-13/AA-1433 at Pandarpur city at that time he caused the accident, due to which he sustained injuries and succumbed to injuries?
2. Whether petitioners are entitled for compensation? If so, to what is the quantum and from whom?
3. What order?
8. Appellants-claimants in support of their case have examined the 1st claimant mother of deceased as PW. 1 and have produced copy of the complaint, the spot panchanama, the charge-sheet, the affidavit of the translator and the post mortem report, which were marked as Exs. P1 to P5 respectively.
9. The 1st claimant examined as PW. 1 in her evidence has stated that deceased Pramod is her son. On 18.12.2004 at about 12:30 p.m. he was riding the motorcycle bearing Reg. No. MH-13-AA-1433 at Pandharapura city at that time he met with an accident and died on the spot. The Tribunal considering the averments made in the claim petition oral evidence of PW. 1 and the complaint, spot panchanama, charge-sheet and post mortem report marked as Exs. P1 to P4 respectively has held that deceased while riding the motorcycle MH-13-AA-1433 accident has occurred and Pramod died on the spot and answered issue No. 1 in the affirmative.
10. PW. 2 Vinod Mehada who is