JUDGMENT :

1. First appeal No.282 of 2006 is filed under Section 173 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 by the Insurance Company and First Appeal No. 551 of 2006, both challenging the judgment and award dated 28 September 2005, passed in Claim Petition No.137 of 2003 by Member MACT, Sangli.

FACTS

2. On 28 July 2002 at about 2.00 p.m., in the afternoon, on Sangli-Kolhapur Road near Akashwani Kendra, Sangli, one captain Shailendra Karandikar was driving Maruti Van Bearing Registration No. KA-23/M-466. His wife (Sonali), two months old son Sumedh, Vaijayanti Madhav Akhave (Maternal aunt of Sonali), Madhav Dattatraya Akhave (husband of Vaijayanti) and Devdutta Madhav Akhave minor son of Vaijayanti and Madhav Akhave, were travelling along with him. They were returning from Narsobawadi to Sangli. The Maruti Van was proceeding South to North direction. The owner of the Maruti Van was a family friend Mr. Sanjay Ganesh Patankar resident of Sangli. It is undisputed that captain Shailendra Karandikar was holding valid driving license on the date of the accident.

3. As Maruti Van driven by captain