3
*IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ FAO.No.350/1997
Date of Decision: 21st August, 2009
%
KUNTI DEVI ..... Appellant
Through : None.
versus
BALDEV SINGH ..... Respondent
Through : Dr. Sarbjit Sharma, Adv.
for R-2.
CORAM :-
THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE J.R. MIDHA
1. Whether Reporters of Local papers may YES
be allowed to see the Judgment?
2. To be referred to the Reporter or not? YES
3. Whether the judgment should be YES
reported in the Digest?
JUDGMENT (Oral)
1. The appellants have challenged the award of the learned Tribunal whereby compensation of Rs.1,92,000/- has been awarded to the appellants. The appellants seek enhancement of the award amount.
2. The accident dated 4th November, 1991 resulted in the death of Ashok Kumar. The deceased was survived by his widow, one son, one daughter and parents who filed the claim petition before the learned Tribunal.
3. On 4th November, 1991, the deceased was driving his two-wheeler scooter on G.T. Road near Village Bakoli, Jai Bharat Dharam Kanta when the Chandigarh Transport FAO.No.350/1997 Page 1 of 6 Undertaking bus bearing No.CH-01G-5085 came from behind and hit the deceased resulting in his death.
4. The deceased was a businessman earning Rs.3,434/- per month. The deceased was Income Tax payee. As per the Income Tax Return - Ex.PW2/3, the income of the deceased for the year 1991-92 was Rs.41,212/-. After deduction of Rs.10,000/- towards the investment made by the deceased, the taxable income was Rs.31,210/-. The learned Tribunal took the income of the deceased to be Rs.31,210/- and 50% was added towards the future prospects and the income of the deceased was taken to be Rs.3,900/- per month. 1/3rd was deducted by the learned Tribunal towards the personal expenses of the deceased and the multiplier of 15 was applied to compute the loss of dependency at Rs.3,74,400/-. Rs.2,000/- has been awarded towards funeral expenses, Rs.2,500/- towards loss of estate and Rs.5,000/- towards loss of consortium. The total compensation computed by the learned Tribunal is Rs.3,84,000/-. The learned Tribunal held the deceased to be contributory negligent to the extent of 50% and, therefore, the compensation computed has been reduced by 50% and Rs.1,92,000/- has been awarded by the learned Tribunal.
5. The learned counsel for the appellant has urged the following grounds at the time of hearing of this appeal:-
(i) The driver of the offending bus alone was negligent and, therefore, the finding of the FAO.No.350/1997 Page 2 of 6 contributory negligence of the deceased is not correct.
(ii) The income of the deceased be taken to be Rs.5,151/- per month as per Income Tax Return - Ex.PW2/3.
(iii) The personal expenses of the deceased be reduced from 1/3rd to 1/4th considering that the deceased left behind five dependents.
(iv) The compensation be awarded for loss of love and affection.
6. With respect to the finding of contributory negligence, the learned Tribunal has relied upon the statement of driver of the bus who appeared as RW-1 and deposed that there were two parallel roads in the same direction from Sindhu Border to Delhi and the deceased was moving on one road while the bus was moving on the main road running along. RW-1 further deposed that the scooterist suddenly changed the lane and came in front of the bus due to which the accident occurred. The learned Tribunal, therefore, observed that the deceased was negligent in suddenly changing the lane and coming in front of the bus and, therefore, was contributory negligent.
7. The learned counsel for the appellant has referred to and relied upon the written statement of the driver as well as the owner of the bus in which it has been stated that the scooterist came on the wrong side on the other lane all of a FAO.No.350/1997 Page 3 of 6 sudden to cross over to the other lane and came in front of the bus as a result of which he struck his scooter against the bus on the right side of the bumper meaning thereby that the scooterist was coming from the opposite direction. However, the driver of the bus took the contradictory stand in the witness box. The driver of the bus appeared as RW-1 and deposed that the scooter and bus were moving in the same direction but in different lanes and the scooterist suddenly changed the lane and came in front of the bus. In view of the contradictory stand taken by the driver in the written statement and in the witness box, RW-1 is unworthy of credit and his statement cannot be relied upon.
8. Chetan Sharma is the independent eye-witness of the accident who appeared as PW-3 and deposed that the offending bus hit the deceased from behind. PW-3 further deposed that the offending bus was being driven at a fast speed and rashly and negligently. The site plan prepared by the police was placed on record before the learned Tribunal which shows that the accident occurred on the extreme left side of the road. The dead body of the deceased was found at Point 'A', the scooter was found lying at Point 'B' and bus was found lying at Point 'C'. There is considerable distance between Point 'A', 'B' & 'C' meaning thereby that the offending bus must have been at a very high speed and, therefore, impact of the accident was so grave that it threw the scooter and the deceased at a considerable distance. FAO.No.350/1997 Page 4 of 6 From the testimony of independent witness, PW-3 and the site plan prepared by the police, the negligence of the offending bus is sufficiently proved. It is, therefore, held that the accident occurred due to the negligence of the driver of the offending bus. The finding of the learned Tribunal imputing 50% contributory negligence to the deceased is, therefore, set aside.
9. The deceased was aged 29 years at the time of the accident. The income of the deceased has been taken by the learned Tribunal to be Rs.3,900/- per month. The learned Tribunal deducted 1/3rd towards the personal expenses and applied the multiplier of 15 to compute the loss of dependency at Rs.3,74,400/-. According to the recent judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Sarla Verma Vs. Delhi Transport Corporation, 2009 (6) Scale 129, the personal expenses of the deceased who has left behind five dependents is to be taken as 1/4th and the appropriate multiplier at the age of 29 years is 17. Following the aforesaid judgment, the personal expenses of the deceased are reduced from 1/3rd to 1/4th and the multiplier is enhanced from 15 to 17. Taking the income of the deceased to be Rs.3,900/- per month, deducting 1/4th towards the personal expenses of the deceased and applying the multiplier of 17, the loss of dependency of the appellants is computed to be Rs.5,96,700/- (Rs.3,900 x 3/4 x 12 x 17). The learned Tribunal has awarded Rs.2,000/- towards funeral FAO.No.350/1997 Page 5 of 6 expenses, Rs.2,500/- towards loss of estate and Rs.5,000/- towards loss of consortium. However, no compensation is awarded towards loss of love and affection. Rs.10,000/- is awarded towards the loss of love and affection. The total compensation is computed to be Rs.6,16,200/- (Rs.5,96,700 + Rs.2,000 + Rs.2,500 + Rs.5,000 + Rs.10,000).
10. The appeal is allowed and the award amount is enhanced from Rs.1,92,000/- to Rs.6,16,200/-. The learned Tribunal has awarded interest @ 12% per annum which is not disturbed on the original award amount of Rs.1,92,000/-. However, on the enhanced award amount, the rate of interest shall be 7.5% per annum from the date of filing of the petition till realization.
11. The enhanced amount along with interest be deposited by respondent No.2 with UCO Bank A/c Kunti Devi, Delhi High Court Branch, New Delhi.
12. The order with respect to the disbursement of the award amount shall be passed on the next date of hearing after examining the appellants. The appellants are directed to remain present in the Court on the next date of hearing.
13. List for directions on 13th October, 2009.
14. Copy of this order be given 'Dasti' to learned counsel for the parties under the signature of Court Master.
J.R. MIDHA, J AUGUST 21, 2009/aj FAO.No.350/1997 Page 6 of 6