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2011 Supreme(Raj) 1183

(Rajasthan High Court)
Jaipur Bench
R.S.R.T.C. & Anr. Vs. Indra Devi & Ors. (Rafiq, J.)
MOHAMMAD RAFIQ, J.
R.S.R.T.C. & Anr.
Versus
Indra Devi & Ors.
S.B. Civil Misc. Appeal Nos. 6337 & 6339 of 2011, decided on 09.11.2011

Advocates Appeared
Deepak Goyal, for Appellant

Headnote:Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Secs. 168 & 173 — Bus hit motor cycle — Death of both rider — Award of Rs. 5,27,000/- and 5,32,000/- — Appeal by owner of bus — Contention that they died due to their own negligence — Finding of tribunal is erroneous — Accident not occurred due to bus — Re-appreciation of evidence — Held — Employee of RSRTC has admitted the factum of accident by bus — Eye-witness, who was not interested witness, stated that he was sitting towards western side of road — He saw injured has received injuries from left side of the bus — Speed breaker was 30-40 feet away from the place of accident but the bus did not slow down the speed — Motor cycle was at reasonable speed of 20-30 kms/hour on the correct side — Site plan and seizure memo of bus indicate that bus was damaged on the right side and hair of deceased was pasted on the net of bus — Factum of accident by bus was proved — Contention of appellant is rejected — Both deceased were truck mechanic, therefore, their income rightly taken as skilled labour and compensation computed by applying proper multiplier as per their age — No infirmity in awarding compensation. (Paras 3 & 4)

       Appeals dismissed.

        eksVj;ku vf/kfu;e] 1988] /kkjk 168 ,oa 173 & cl us eksVj lkbZfdy dks VDdj ekjh & nksuksa lokj dh e`R;q & 5]27]000@- #i;s ,oa 5]32]000@- #i;s dk vf/kfu.kZ; & cl ds Lokeh }kjk vihy & rdZ fd os yksx vius Lo;a dh ykijokgh ds dkj.k ejs & vf/kdj.k dk fu"d"kZ =qfViw.kZ gS & nq?kZVuk cl ds dkj.k ugha ?kVh & lk{; dk iquewZY;kadu & vfHkfu/kkZfjr & jktLFkku jkT; iFk ifjogu fuxe ds deZpkjh us cl }kjk nq?kZVuk dk rF; Lohdkj fd;k x;k & p{kqn'khZ lk{kh] tks fgrc) lk{kh ugha Fkk] crk;k fd og lM+d ds if'peh rjQ cSBk Fkk & og ns[kk fd vkgr dks cl ds ck;h rjQ ls pksVsa vk;h & xfr vojks/kd nq?kZVuk ds LFkku ls 30-40 QhV nwj Fkk ysfdu cl xfr de ugha fd;k Fkk & eksVj lkbfdy 20-30 fdyksehVj izfr ?kaVk dh ;qfDr;qDr xfr esa ,oa lgh rjQ Fkk & uD'kk ekSdk ,oa cl dk tIrh eheksa bafxr djrk gS fd cl nka;h rjQ {kfrxzLr Fkk vkSj e`rd dk cky cl ds tkyh ij fpidk Fkk & cl }kjk nq?kZVuk dk rF; lkfcr gqvk & vihykFkhZ dk rdZ vLohdkj fd;k x;k & nksuksa e`rd Vªd feL=h Fks vr% dq'ky Jfed ds :i esa muds vk; lgh fy;s x;s vkSj muds vk;q ds vuqlkj mfpr xq.kd iz;qDr djrs gq, izfrdj x.kuk dh xbZ & izfrdj vf/kfuf.kZr djus esa dksbZ nkScZY;rk ughaA ¼in la[;k 3 ,oa 4½

       vihy vLohdkj dhA

       

RAFIQ, J.—These two appeals have been preferred by appellant RSRTC against the common award passed by the learned Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Rajgarh, Alwar dated 5.8.2011. The claim petitions were filed in respect of death of two persons namely; Suresh Chand Saini and Pooran Mal Saini. While Suresh Chand Saini was driving the motor cycle, Pooran Mal was sitting as pillion rider. The learned Tribunal has in the claim case No.75/2010 filed by the claimants for the death of Pooran Mal has awarded a sum of Rs.5,27,000 as compensation and in claim petition No.76/2010 filed by the claimants for the death of Suresh Chand has awarded Rs.5,32,000/-.

2. Shri Deepak Goyal, learned counsel for the appellant has made two fold submissions. His first submission is that deceased were riding the motor cycle without helmet. They died due to their own negligence as they were driving the motor cycle at a very high speed and did not slow down at the speed breaker and due to jump that occurred on account of speed traffic, they fell down and died on their own death. It has been denied that the accident has taken place due to the bus of the appellant. Learned counsel in order to bring all these points referred to the findings recorded by the learned trial Court in paras 10 to 17 while dealing with issue No.1 and 2 and also from paras 18 and 19 on issue No.3. It was argued that the statement NAW-1 Shyam Sunder driver of the vehicle has not been properly appreciated by the learned Tribunal. This witness has stated that the bus of the appellant was not involved in the accident. The bus was parked on the left side of the road at Malkhera Byepass Bus Stand and the passengers were getting down, suddenly a truck came from front side and behind that there was a motor cycle. There was a speed breaker there, as a result of which the deceased who was riding a motor cycle, fell down and died instantly. It was stated by the said witness that the Unit Incharge of the Depot, Jai Dev in response to the notice under Section 133 of the Motor Vehicles Act, has wrongly mentioned that accident took place due to the vehicle of the appellant.

3. The learned trial Court has examined this argument made by learned counsel for the appellant and it has not believed the statement of driver NAW-1 Shyam Sunder, but has rather preferred to believe NAW-3 Heera Lal, who was an eye witness. This Heera Lal who was in no manner related to either of the deceased, has stated that he was sitting towards western side of the road. The bus was going from southern to northern side. The injured has received injuries from left side of the bus. There was a speed breaker, but it was 30-40 feet away from the place of incident. This witness has stated that the bus did not slow down at the speed breaker. The motor cycle was at a very reasonable speed of 20-30 kms/hour on the correct side. The learned trial Court has analysed the entire documentary evidence including the site plan Ex.2 and the seizure memo of bus Ex.3. It is found that the jali (front net) of the bus was found damaged with a dent. There were blood stains of the deceased on that net. Hairs of the head were also found pasted on the net. The bumper of the bus was also having dent from the driver's side. There were marks of damage on the right side. The fact that the motor cycle was hit by the bus was proved from black pant, which was found to be contained on it, as a result of being hit by the bus. Ex.4, the seizure memo of the motor cycle also indicated that the shockers of both sides and the rim of the rear wheel of the motor cycle were damaged. Ex.7, the motor cycle inspection report of the motor cycle indicated that the motor cycle was completely damaged due to being hit by full side. The learned Tribunal has also taken note of the fact that in response to notice u/s.133 of the Motor Vehicles Act, Jai Dev employee of RSRTC has admitted the factum of accident by the bus. The argument of learned counsel for the appellant that the ac







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