The Oriental Insurance Company ... vs Smt. Padma Naik And Another
2022 Latest Caselaw 5194 Ori

                         IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK
                                   MACA No.1019 of 2018
                The Oriental Insurance Company Ltd. ....             Appellant
                                                   Mr. M.C. Nayak, Advocate
                                          -versus-
                Smt. Padma Naik and another            ....       Respondents
                                  Mr. S.B. Das, Advocate for Respondent No.1
            .


                            CORAM:
                            JUSTICE B. P. ROUTRAY
                                           ORDER

28.09.2022 Order No.

10. 1. Heard Mr. M.C. Nayak, learned counsel for the Appellant-

Insurance Company and Mr. S.B. Das, learned counsel for the Respondent No.1-claimant.

2. Present appeal by the insurer is directed against the judgment dated 21.07.2018 of learned M.A.C.T., Malkangiri in M.A.C. Case No.09/2014 wherein compensation to the tune of Rs.4,76,000/- has been granted along with interest @6% per annum to the claimant from the date of filing of the claim application, i.e.22.08.2014 on account of death of the deceased in the motor vehicular accident dated 01.05.2014.

3. Mr. M.C. Nayak, learned counsel for the Appellant contends that the deceased was a gratuitous passenger in the offending tractor-trolley and therefore, the Appellant is not liable to indemnify the compensation amount.

4. After hearing Mr. S.B. Das, learned counsel for the Respondent No.1-claimant, it reveals from the impugned judgment that two persons including the deceased were travelling in the tractor-

trolley at the time of accident as labourers. This being the consistent case of the claimants, no rebuttal evidence has been adduced either from the side of the insurer or owner to contend that they were gratuitous passengers. Therefore, the finding of the Tribunal in terms of the claim of the applicants that the deceased was travelling in the offending vehicle as a labourer at the time of accident is confirmed.

5. No dispute is raised regarding quantum of compensation in course of hearing and as such, the amount awarded by the learned Tribunal is confirmed. However, the penal interest as directed by the Tribunal is waived.

6. In the result, the appeal is dismissed with a direction to the Appellant-Insurance Company to deposit the entire compensation amount along with interest @6% per annum from the date of filing of the claim application, i.e.,22.08.2014 within a period of two months from today; where-after the same shall be disbursed in favour of the claimant on same terms and proportion as per the direction contained in the impugned judgment.

7. On deposit of the award amount before the learned Tribunal and filing of a receipt evidencing the deposit with a refund application before this Court, the statutory deposit made before this Court with accrued interest thereon shall be refunded to the Insurance Company.

( B.P. Routray) Judge B.K. Barik