0627c1af18e36b11976c41edac754cda42f83c309266937be27a7ebf910c2b15

12. The deceased was a constable. Death took place near a police station. The postmortem report clearly suggests that the deceased died of a brain injury. The place of accident is not far from the police station. It is, therefore, difficult to believe the story of the driver of the bus that he slept in the bus and in the morning found a dead body wrapped in a blanket. If the death of the constable had taken place earlier, it is wholly unlikely that his dead body in a small town like Dharampur would remain undetected throughout the night particularly when it was lying at a busstand and near a police station. In such an event, the court can presume that the police officers themselves should have taken possession of the dead body.

13. The learned Tribunal, in our opinion, has rightly proceeded on the basis that apparently there was absolutely no reason to falsely implicate Respondents 2 and 3. The claimant was not at the place of occurrence. She, therefore, might not be aware of the details as to how the accident took place but the fact that the first information report had been lodged in relation to an accident could not have been ignored.

14. Some discrepancies in the evidence of the claimant’s witnesses might have occurred but the core question before the Tribunal and consequently before the High Court was as to whether the bus in question was involved in the accident or not. For the purpose of determining the said issue, the Court was required to apply the principle underlying the burden of proof in terms of the provisions of Section 106 of the Evidence Act, 1872 as to whether a dead body wrapped in a blanket had been found at the spot at such an early hour, which was required to be proved by Respondents 2 and 3.

15. In a situation of this nature, the Tribunal has rightly taken a holistic view of the matter. It was necessary to be borne in mind that strict proof of an accident caused by a particular bus in a particular manner may not be possible to be done by the claimants. The claimants were merely to establish their case on the touchstone of preponderance of probability. The standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt could not have been applied. For the said purpose, the High Court should have taken into consideration the respective stories set forth by both the parties.” (emphasis supplied) bl U;k;ky; }kjk bl fLFkfr dks of.kZr fd;k x;k gS fd DyesUV dks laHkkoukvksa dh izcyrkvksa,oa;qfDr;qDr lansg ls ijs dh fLFkfr dks izkf/kdj.k }kjk viukuk gS tc og eksVj nq?kZVuk eqdneks esa Mhy dj jgk gSA 23- 12. The other ground on which the High Court dismissed the case was by way of disbelieving the testimony of Umed Singh-PW.1. Such disbelief of the High Court is totally conjectural. Umed Singh is not related to the appellant but as a good citizen, Umed Singh extended his help to the appellant by helping her to reach the Doctor's chamber in order to ensure that an injured woman gets medical treatment. The evidence of Umed Singh cannot be disbelieved just because he did not file a complaint himself. We are constrained to repeat our observation that the total approach of the High Court, unfortunately, was not sensitized enough to appreciate the plight of the victim.

13. The other so-called reason in the High Court's order was that as the claim petition was filed after four months of the accident, the same is "a device to grab money from the insurance company". This finding in the absence of any material is certainly perverse. The High Court appears to be not cognizant of the principle that in a road accident claim, the strict principles of proof in a criminal case are not attracted. 24- Road accidents are one of the top killers in our country, specially when truck and bus drivers operate nocturnally. This proverbial recklessness often persuades the courts, as has been observed by us earlier in other cases, to draw an initial presumption in several cases based on the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur. Accidents Tribunals must take special care to see that innocent victims do not suffer and drivers and owners do not escape liability merely because of some doubt here or some obscurity there. Save in plain cases, culpability must be inferred from the circumstances where it is fairly reasonable. The court should not succumb to niceties, technicalities and mystic maybes. We are emphasising this aspect because we are often distressed by transport operators getting away with it thanks to judicial laxity, despite the fact that they do not exercise sufficient disciplinary control over the drivers in the matter of careful driving. The heavy economic impact of culpable driving of public transport must bring owner and driver to their responsibility to their 'neighbour'. Indeed, the State must seriously consider no- fault liability by legislation. A second aspect which pains us is the inadequacy of the compensation or undue parsimony practised by tribunals. We must remember that judicial tribunals are State organs andArticle 41 of the Constitution lays the jurisprudential foundation for state relief against accidental disablement of citizens. There is no justification for niggardliness in compensation. A third factor which is harrowing is the enormous delay in disposal of accident cases resulting in compensation, even if awarded, being postponed by several years. The States must appoint sufficient number of tribunals and the High Courts should insist upon quick disposals so that the trauma and tragedy already sustained may not be magnified by the injustice of delayed justice. Many States are unjustly indifferent in this regard. "25. In Dulcina Fernandes v. Joaquim Xavier Cruz, (2013) 10 SCC 646, this Court examined similar situation where the evidence of claimant's eye- witness was discarded by the Tribunal and that the respondent in that case was acquitted in the criminal case concerning the accident. This Court, however, opined that it cannot be overlooked that upon investigation of the case registered against the respondent, prima facie, materials showing negligence were found to put him on trial. The Court restated the settled principle that the evidence of the claimants ought to be examined by the Tribunal on the touchstone of preponderance of probability and certainly the standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt could not have been applied as noted in Bimla Devi v. Himachal RTC, (2009) 13 SCC 530. In paras 8 & 9, of the reported decision, the dictum in United India Insurance Co. Ltd. Vs. ShilaDatta (2011) 10 SCC 509, has been adverted to as under: "8. In United India Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Shila Datta (2011) 10 SCC 509, while considering the nature of a claim petition under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 a three Judge Bench of this Court has culled out certain propositions of which Propositions (ii), (v) and (vi) would be relevant to the facts of the present case and, therefore, may be extracted hereinbelow: (SCC p. 518, para 10) '10.

(ii) The rules of the pleadings do not strictly apply as the claimant is required to make an application in a form prescribed under the Act. In fact, there is no pleading where the proceedings are suo motu initiated by the Tribunal.

9. The following further observation available in para 10 of the Report would require specific note: (Shila Datta (2011) 10 SCC 509, SCC p. 519) '10.... We have referred to the aforesaid provisions to show that an award by the Tribunal cannot be seen as an adversarial adjudication between the litigating parties to a dispute, but a statutory determination of compensation on the occurrence of an accident, after due enquiry, in accordance with the statute.' " vr%;g lqLFkkfir fl)kar gS fd eksVj nq?kZVuk okn eas fd tgka okLrfodrk eas nq?kZVuk gqbZ gS] rc izkf/kdj.k dks U;k;ksfpr izfrdj jkf’k vokMZ djuh gS tc nq?kZVuk eksVj okgu pkyd ds ykijokgh ls gqbZ] izkf/kdj.k dks i{kdkjksa dh okn&fookn eas fufgr ugha jguk gSA bu eqdnekssa eas laHkkoukvksa dh vf/kdrk ij T;knk tksj jguk pkfg;s uk fd;qfDr;qDr lansg ls ijs tSlk fd QkStnkjh eqdneksa eas ns[kk tkrk gSA 21-bl ekeys eas ge;g ikrs gS fd izkf/kdj.k }kjk lgh vizksp jgh gS vkSj mUgkasus tks lk{; i=koyh ij vk;k gS mldk lgh voyksdu fd;k gS tcfd mPp U;k;ky; esa dM+h O;k[;k dh gS,oa;qfDr;qDr lansg ls ijs dh /kkj.kk viuk;h gS,oa izkf/kdj.k dk fu.kZ; vikLr fd;kA 22-bl izdj.k ds rF; dks ns[kk tk;s nksuksa okgu mYVh fn’kk ls vk jgs Fks tks fd LFkkfir gS izkf/kdj.k us xokg,Mh 1 dh lk{;,oa,Mhu 3 dh lk{;,oa nLrkost tks muds }kjk izLrqr fd;s tSls fd,QvkbZvkj,oa pktZ’khV ftleas cuokjh yky HkSjok ¼izfroknh la[;k 2½ ds fo#) varxZr /kkjk 279] 337] 304] 304, vkbZihlh,oa /kkjk 134@187,e-ih-,DV vkjksfir fd;k x;k fd 28-10- 2011 dks izkr% 7 cts lhrkjke,oa mlds ihNs cSBs jktwyky [kVhd tks eksVj lkbZfdy la[;k vkjts 25],l,] 6923 tks xzke ciqbZ ls pkSFk dk cjokM+k ls MkWx vfXu cgu ds ?kj tks ekgiqjk frjkgs ij tk jgs Fks tc cl uEcj vkjts 26ih,] 0042 tks fd foijhr fn’kk ls vk jgh gS ftlls nq?kZVuk gqbZ,oa lhrkjke dh e`R;q gks xbZA 23-izkf/kdj.k }kjk;g ekuk x;k fd vihykFkhZ }kjk;g rdZ fd izfroknh }kjk,QvkbZvkj,oa pktZ’khV dks fdlh vf/kdkjh,oa vf/kdj.k ds le{k pqukSrh ugha nh x;hA izfroknh }kjk cpko fy;k x;k fd,QvkbZvkj xyr rF;ksa ij ntZ djk;h x;h,oa iqfyl dh lka> xkaB eas djk;h x;h,oa izfroknh bldh f’kdk;r ftyk iqfyl v/kh{kd dks nh x;h ijUrq dksbZ dk;Zokgh ugha dh x;h ijarq bl rF; ds fy;s dksbZ nLrkost izkf/kdj.k esa izLrqr ugha fd;s x;sA mDr,QvkbZvkj eas vuqla/kku ds Ik’pkr~ pktZ’khV U;k;ky; esa nkf[ky dh x;hA mPp U;k;ky; }kjk bldk dbZ mYys[k ugha gqvkA 24-izkf/kdj.k ds le{k] izfroknh la[;k 1 us bls vLohdkj ugha fd;k fd izfroknh la[;k 2 mlds fu;kstu esa ugha FkkA izkf/kdj.k us;g Hkh Lohdkj fd;k fd e`rd dh e`R;q vfLFk Hkax ls vk;s 'kkWd ds dkj.k gqbZA mDr lk{; dbZ Hkh [kf.Mr ugha gqbZA izkf/kdj.k us mDr nLrkostksa o lk{;ksa dh dksbZ lgh ekuk gS ijUrq mPp U;k;ky; us budk mYys[k dgha ugha fd;kA 25-izkf/kdj.k }kjk,QvkbZvkj,oa pktZ’khV ij Hkjkslk fd;k gS,oa;g nLrkost izfroknh la[;k 2 dh fyIrrk crkrs gSaA vxj QkStnkjh izfdz;k izfroknh uEcj 2 ds fo#) vKkr jgrh gS rks Hkh Dyse ds nkos ij bldk dksbZ izHkko ugha iM+rkA eaxykjke ds dsl eas;g LFkkfir gS fd vkijkf/kdrk tks QkStnkjh dkuwu dh t:jr gS oSlh t:jr ykW vkWQ dksVZ ds eqdneksa esa ugha gSA 26-gesa dksbZ ladksp ugha gksrk fd izfroknh dh cl }kjk ykijokgh ls ftls izfroknh la[;k 2 pyk jgk Fkk lhrkjke dh e`R;q gqbZA 27-vxyk iz’u;g gS fd Hkkxpan [kVhd,oa xkM+h ds lk{; ds vHkko esa vihykFkhZ ds eqdnesa ds fy;s ?kkrd gS tgka rd Hkkxpan ds lk{; dh ckr gS mPp U;k;ky; dk;g ekuuk gS fd mDr xokg dh xokgh fo’oluh; ugha gS D;ksafd mldk uke xokgksa dh lwph esa ugha gS vkSj og eksVj lkbZfdy esa ihNs cSBs lokjh dh mez ugah crk ik;kA;g xokg xzke i[kkyk esa jgrk gS rks 3 fdeh0 nq?kZVukLFky ls nwj gS o bl ?kVuk dks ns[k ugha ldrkA izkf/kdj.k us bu vkifRr;ksa dks lgh rkSj,oa lkjrk foosfpr fd;kA 28-Hkkxpan dh lk{; v[kafMr jgh gS mPp U;k;ky; }kjk;g ugha ns[kk fd bl xokg dh ftjg izfroknh }kjk ugha dh x;h,oa bl ckr ij tksj fn;k x;k fd xokg Hkkxpan dk uke xokg lwph eas ugah gSA ijes’ojh,oa eaxykjke ds fu.kZ; eas U;k;ky; dks laHkkoukvksa dh vf/kdrk dks ns[kuk gSA eksVj nq?kZVuk nkoksa esa U;k;ky; dks;g ns[kuk gS fd ftjg dk leqfpr volj iznku fd;k x;k gSA vxj;g fd;k x;k gS fd rc fdlh Hkh i{kdkj dks;g vuqefr ugha gS fd og;g dg lds fd mls leqfpr volj ugha feykA 29-ftjg dh egRrk dks djrkj flag cuke iatkc jkT; dh 5 U;k;k/kh’kksa dh ihB us foLr`r rkSj ij O;k[;k dh gS ------- 30-mPp U;k;ky; esa Hkkxpan dh xokgh dks blfy;s jn~n dj fn;k x;k gS fd og xkMh esa lokj O;fDr dh mez ugha crk ldkA xokg dh mez uk crkus dh v;ksX;rk bl xokg dks nwf"kr ugha djrhA,QvkbZvkj,oa mlds Ik’pkr~ pktZ’khV dk is’k gksuk bl xokg dh lk{; dks etcwrh nsrk gSA 31-jktwyky [kVhd dk U;k;ky; eas ijhf{kr uk gksuk vihykFkhZ ds eqdnes ds fy;s ?kkRkd ugha gS eksVj nq?kZVuk ds eqdneksa esa U;k;y; eas uk ijhf{kr gksuk izR;{knf’kZ;ksa dk ugha fudkyus ls T;knk vko’;d gS fd tks i=koyh ij vk;h lk{; dk foospuk djuk laHkkoukvksa dh izcryk ds fl)kar ijA bl U;k;ky; }kjk Myfduk QukZMht ds dsl esa;g izfrikfnr fd;k gS fd tks lkexzh i=koyh ij miyC/k gS mlls izkbek Qslh dsl ik;k tkrk gS fd izfroknh }kjk ykijokgh crhZ x;h bl eqdnes eas izkf/kdj.k }kjk vihykFkhZ dk nkok eatwj djuk fcuk jktwyky [kVhd dh xokgh ds;g LFkkfir djrk gS fd pkyd }kjk ykijokgh HkrhZ x;hA 32-izkf/kdj.k }kjk uksfVl varxZr /kkjk 134 pkyd dks fn;k x;k fd,oa pkyd }kjk dksbZ Li"Vhdj.k ugha fn;k x;k fd izkf/kdj.k ds Hkkxpan ds lk{; dks vR;f/kd egRo fn;k x;k gS,oa uD’kk ekSdk ls;g LFkkfir gqvk gS fd izfroknh la[;k 2 xQtr esa xkM+h pyk jgk Fkk vkSj lhrkjke lgh fn’kk esa xkM+h pyk jgk Fkk ijarq mPp U;k;ky; }kjk Hkkxpan dh lk{; dks dksbZ rcTtks ugha nh x;hA 33-uD’kk ekSdk tks fd xokg,Mh }kjk izLrqr fd;k x;k Fkk mlls;g izrhr gksrk gS fd nq?kZVuk lM+d ds chp esa gqbZA uD’kk ekSdk ds jpf;rk iqfyl vf/kdkjh dks U;kk;y; eas ijhf{kr ugah djk;k x;kA 34-xokg,Mh 2 Hkkxpan }kjk;g dFku fd;s x;s fd cl dk pkyd izfroknh la[;k 2 }kjk xQyr,oa xyr lkbZM ds vkus ls nq?kZVuk gqbZ,oa lhrkjke dh e`R;q gqgZaA mPp U;k;ky; }kjk bl lk{; dks dksbZ rCkTtks ugha nh x;h tks fd xyr gSA blds vfrfjDr izkf/kdj.k }kjk,QvkbZvkj,oa pktZ’khV ij fuHkZj fd;k x;k gS tks izfroknh uEcj 2 dh ykijokgh crkrh gSA ge Myfduk QukZMht,oa eaxyk jke ds fu.kZ; ls lger gSA 35-izfrdj jkf’k ds Ik;kZIrrk tks izkf/kdj.k }kjk fu.khZr dh x;h mls mPp U;k;ky; eas pqukSrh nh x;h cfYd vk;dj dh dVkSrh dks pqukSrh nh x;h Age vihykFkhZ ds izfrdj jkf’k dks c<+kus dh viht ds nk;js dks ijfeV ugha dj ldrs cfYd izkf/kdj.k dh jkf’k dks cgky djus ds bPNqd gSA 36-vr% ifj.kker%;g vihy mPp U;k;k; ds fu.kZ; dks vikLr fd;k tkrk gS,oa izkf/kdj.k ds vokMZ fnukad 14- 12-2016 dks;Fkkor~ j[kk tkrk gSA 37-;g vihy Lohdkj dh tkrh gS dkLV dk dksbZ vkns’k ughaA,0,e0- [kkufoydj vt; jLrksxh ubZ fnYyh

14 Qjojh 2019 vLohdj.k & bl fu.kZ; dh vuqokn LFkkuh; Hkk"kk esa fd;k tk jgk gS,oa bldk iz;ksx dsoy i{kdkj bldks le>us ds fy;s mudh Hkk"kk eas dj ldsxsa,oa;g fdlh vU; iz;kstu esa dke ugha yh tk;sxhA gj vf/kdkfjd,oa O;kogkfjd mn~ns’;ksa ds fy;s mDr fu.kZ;ksa dk vaxzsth laLdj.k gh fo’oluh; ekuk tk;sxk,oa fdz;kUo;u esa Hkh blh dks mi;ksx esa fy;k tk;sxkA