Gujarat High Court
United India Insurance Company Limited vs Jaan Mohmad Momalvev on 16 January, 2025
Author: Biren Vaishnav
Bench: Biren Vaishnav
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C/FA/2504/2010 JUDGMENT DATED: 16/01/2025
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IN THE HIGH COURT OF GUJARAT AT AHMEDABAD
R/FIRST APPEAL NO. 2504 of 2010
With
R/FIRST APPEAL NO. 2505 of 2010
FOR APPROVAL AND SIGNATURE:
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BIREN VAISHNAV
and
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVAN M. DESAI
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Approved for Reporting Yes No
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UNITED INDIA INSURANCE COMPANY LIMITED
Versus
JAAN MOHMAD MOMALVEV & ORS.
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Appearance:
MR VIBHUTI NANAVATI(513) for the Appellant(s) No. 1
MR KIRIT I PATEL(628) for the Defendant(s) No. 4.1
RULE SERVED for the Defendant(s) No. 3
RULE UNSERVED for the Defendant(s) No. 1,2
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CORAM:HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE BIREN VAISHNAV
and
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVAN M. DESAI
Date : 16/01/2025
ORAL JUDGMENT
(PER : HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DEVAN M. DESAI)
1. The captioned First Appeals are preferred by the
appellant-Insurance Company against the impugned
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common judgment and award passed by the learned Motor
Accident Claims Tribunal (Aux.), Court No.14, Ahmedabad
in Motor Accident Claim Petition Nos.774, 776, 775, 777,
778, 779, 780 of 2001, whereby the learned tribunal has
partly allowed the claim petitions.
2. Heard learned advocate Mr.Vibhuti Nanavati for
the appellant-Insurance Company and learned advocate
Mr.Kirit Patel for respondent Nos.4.1.1 and 4.2.
3. Since the common issues are involved in these
appeals, upon request of learned advocates for the parties,
captioned appeals are taken up together and decided by
this common judgment.
4. Brief facts of the case in captioned First
Appeals are as under:
4.1 On 08.11.2000, (i) Ashish Vallabhbhai
Khambhayata, with (ii) his brother Bharatbhai Vallabhbhai
Khambhayata (iii) his wife Hinaben Ashish Khambhayata,
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(iv) his mother Nirmalaben Vallabhbhai Khambhayata, (v)
his daughter Krusha Ashish Khambhayata, (vi) his father-
in-law Kumandas Nathubhai Zinzuwadia and (vii) his
mother-in-law Kantaben Kumandas Zinzuwadia, were
traveling in a Maruti Van bearing No.GJ-15-A-6177. The
said Maruti Van was driven by Ashish Vallabhbhai
Khambhayata. The other family members of the claimant
No.1 Vallabhbhai Khambhayata, were also traveling in
other 3 vehicles namely Maruti Zen, Indica, another
Maruti Zen. All 4 cars were proceeding from Ajmer to
Nathdwara on N.H. No.8. At near village Devgadh, a
Truck bearing Registration No.RJ-02-G-2737 coming from
opposite direction in full speed and in rash and negligent
manner knocked down maruti van bearing No.GJ-15-E-
6177, at 10.45 a.m. In the said accident all passengers
including driver namely Ashish Vallabhbhai Khambhayata,
expired because of accidental injuries. Separate Claim
petitions were filed for the compensation.
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Sl. MACP Nos. Claimants Claimed
amount
(Rupees)
1. 774/2001 1. Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayata 2,40,000/-
2. Hiteshbhai V. Khambhayta
(For deceased Nirmala Vallabhbhai
Khambhayata)
2. 775/2001 1. Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayata 10,80,000/-
2. Hiteshbhai V. Khambhayta
(For deceased Bharatbhai
Vallabhbhai Khambhayata)
3. 776/ 2001 1. Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayata 24,00,000/-
2. Hiteshbhai V. Khambhayta
(For deceased Ashish V.
Khambhayata)
4. 777/ 2001 1. Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayata 7,20,000/-
2. Hiteshbhai V. Khambhayta
(For deceased Hina Ashish
Khambhayata)
5. 778/2001 1. Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayata 2,34,000/-
2. Hiteshbhai V. Khambhayta
(For deceased Krusha Ashish
Khambhayata)
6. 779/2001 Kajalben Kumanbhai Zinzuvadia 5,40,000/-
(For deceased Kantaben Kumanbhai
Zinzuvadia)
7. 780/2001 Kajalben Kumanbhai Zinzuvadia 20,13,000/-
(For deceased Kumanbhai
Nathabhai Zinzuvadia)
4.2 In captioned claim petitions, driver and owner
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of the truck bearing Registration No. RJ-02-G-2737 and
owner of Maruti Van bearing registration No.GJ-15-E-6177
were served with the notice. The driver and owner of the
truck i.e. opponent Nos.1 and 2 respectively and owner of
Maruti Van i.e. opponent No.4 though duly served with
the notice, have not filed their Written Statement.
4.3 Opponent No.3 being the Insurance Company of
the Truck appeared and filed Written Statement at Ex.23
in MACP Nos.774, 775 and 776 of 2001 and at Ex.22 in
MACP Nos.777, 778, 779 and 780 of 2001.
4.4 Opponent No.5 being the Insurance Company of
Maruti Van, though duly served; however did not appear
and chose not to file Written Statement.
4.5 All claim petitions were consolidated and
decided by way of a common judgment. Vallabhbhai C.
Khambhayata led oral evidence vide Ex.31 and also
produced documentary evidences such as Panchnama, FIR,
Postmortem report and other evidences. After recording the
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oral deposition of Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayata, the said
claimant expired on 12.01.2007.
4.6 After considering the evidence on record,
learned Tribunal has awarded following compensation in
favour of respective claimants.
Sl. MACP Amt. of Amt. Amt. payable Amt. payable by
No Nos. claim awarded by the driver the driver owner
(Rs.) (Rs.) owner and and insurer of
insurer of Maruti Car
truck bearing bearing
registration registration No.
No. RJ-02-G- GJ-15-E-6177 -
2727-80%(Rs.) 20% (Rs.)
01 774-01 2,40,000/- 1,60,000/- 1,28,000/- 32,000/-
02 775-01 10,80,000/- 4,33,000/- 3,46,400/- 86,600/-
03 776-01 24,00,000/- 6,72,800/- 5,38,240/- NIL
04 777-01 7,20,000/- 4,33,000/- 3,46,400/- 86,600/-
05 778-01 2,34,000/- 1,60,000/- 1,28,000/- 32,000/-
06 779-01 5,40,000/- 3,85,000/- 3,08,000/- 77,000/-
07 780-01 20,13,000/- 5,43,000/- 4,34,400/- 1,08,600/
4.7 Being aggrieved and dissatisfied with the
impugned judgment and award, the Insurance Company
has filed all captioned First Appeals.
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5. Learned advocate for the appellant - Insurance
Company has raised the contention that the learned
Tribunal has erred in deciding the issue of negligence. It is
submitted that at Ex.37 Vallabhbhai C. Khambhayta, father
of deceased Ashishbhai V. Khambhayata has stated that the
right front tyre of Maruti Van had burst, resultantly
deceased driver of the Van lost control over the steering
and went on the wrong side of the road. As the truck
bearing No.RJ-02-G-2727 was coming from opposite
direction, the Maruti Van collided with the Truck on the
front portion. As per the sketch drawn by the Police
Authority at Ex.36, Maruti Van was coming from Biyavar
Bhim to Kamlighat i.e. from north to south and the truck
was coming from Kamlighat towards Biyavar Bhim i.e.
from south to north. As per the sketch of the scene of the
accident, the car and truck were found lying on the Kacha
road i.e. on the western side of the road. The driver of
the Maruti Van was solely negligent in causing the
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accident as he lost control over the steering because the
right front side tyre of Maruti Van burst.
5.1 It is further contended that when there is ample
evidence by way of FIR at Ex.37, Panchnama at Ex.36
alongwith the sketch of scene of accident, non-examination
of the driver of the Truck is of no relevance. When the
documentary evidence clearly establishes the role of the
driver of Maruti Car in causing the accident, non-
examination of the driver of the Truck is not the decisive
factor in deciding the negligence.
6. Per contra, learned advocate for the respondents
claimants has supported the award and submitted that no
interference is called for by this Court as the learned
Tribunal has rightly considered the evidence and the
evidentiary value of the evidence produced on record. It is
submitted that the Truck has collided with the Maruti Van
on the opposite side of the road. Such fact has not been
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controverted by either owner or driver of Truck. The
learned Tribunal has rightly held the driver of the Truck
negligent to the extent of 80%. It is fairly contended by
learned advocate for the respondents-claimants that the
claimants has not challenged the award on fastening of
negligence to the extent of 20% on the driver of the
Maruti Van.
7. We have considered the submissions and
perused the record and proceedings. The learned Tribunal
while considering the issue of negligence has observed that
the driver of Truck has not been examined and adverse
inference has been drawn. Only on the ground of non-
examination of the driver of Truck, the learned Tribunal
has held 80% negligence on the part of the driver of
truck. At this stage, it would be profitable to refer
Panchnama at Ex.36 as well as the sketch of the scene of
the accident. It transpires that the vehicles in question are
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found lying on the Kacha road on the eastern side. The
exact location of the Maruti Van is also found on the edge
of the western side of the road which is exactly opposite
side of the road on which the Maruti Van ought to have
been driven. The claimants have contended that the
offending Truck came from opposite direction and dashed
with the Maruti Van which is contrary to the position of
vehicles which are found in the Panchnama. When the
panchnama clearly indicates the position of vehicles at the
site of the accident, learned Tribunal has faulted in
ignoring such a vital piece of evidence while deciding the
issue of negligence. When the Maruti Van is found on the
extreme right edge of the road, a presumption can be
drawn that the driver of Maruti Van has contributed more
in the occurrence of accident. In the complaint at Ex.37,
the complainant who is the father of deceased Ashish
Khambhayata has stated that the front right side tyre of
Maruti Van had burst, resultantly, his son lost control over
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the Maruti Van. In such facts and circumstances,
attributing negligence of 80% on the part of the driver of
Truck is against the evidence on record and in our
opinion, the learned Tribunal has not dealt with question
of negligence the way in which it should have been.
8. In cases arising as a result of an accident in
which compensation is claimed, it is necessary for the
claimant to establish negligence on the part of the other
vehicle. In a case of contributory negligence, the crucial
question on which the liability depends would be whether
either party could, by exercise of reasonable care have
avoided the consequence of other's negligence. In the
present case, whether the driver of Maruti Van tried to
avoid the accident is missing. Similarly, the evidence is
missing as to what steps the driver of the Truck took to
avoid the accident. As per the complaint filed by the
father of deceased of Maruti Van before the Police, that
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the right front side of the Maruti Van burst and because of
such reason, his son lost control over the steering and the
Van went on the extreme opposite side of the road and
dashed with the Truck which was coming from opposite
side is a sufficient evidence that the driver of Maruti Van
has contributed more than 20% in the occurrence of
accident. On assessment of the evidence and in the facts
and circumstances of the case and looking at the
Panchnama and sketch of the scene of accident, we are of
the opinion that the ratio of negligence of both the
vehicles is required to be modified and we hold that both
the vehicles are found negligent to the extent of 50% each
in the occurrence of accident. We hold driver of the
Maruti Van negligent to the extent of 50% and driver of
the Truck negligent to the extent of 50% in the occurrence
of accident.
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9. In view of the above discussions, the captioned
First Appeals are partly allowed. Awarded compensation to
be paid as per the ratio of negligence which has been held
hereinabove. Award may be drawn accordingly.
10. Record and Proceedings be sent back to the
concerned Court/Tribunal.
(BIREN VAISHNAV, J)
(D. M. DESAI,J)
MANOJ
