Thane, March 7 The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane, Maharashtra, has awarded a compensation of ₹37.55 lakh to the family of a 25-year-old man who died in a motorcycle accident in 2022.
MACT member R V Mohite directed Reliance General Insurance Co. Ltd. to pay the compensation to the claimants immediately and subsequently recover the amount from the owner of the truck involved in the accident due to a breach of insurance terms.
A copy of the order dated March 2 was made available on Saturday.
According to the petition, the victim, Mohit Raju Kasyap, was riding his motorcycle on the Talegaon-Ambethan road in Pune district on the night of October 18, 2022, when a speeding truck hit the two-wheeler, killing him instantly.
The claimants sought compensation, citing that Kasyap was employed as a cook and earned ₹21,000 per month.
While the insurance company contested the claim, alleging negligence by the deceased and a lack of a valid permit for the truck, the tribunal found the truck driver solely responsible for the accident.
"The truck came from behind and rammed into the motorcycle. The front right wheel ran over the head of the deceased. This shows the recklessness and negligence of the truck driver," the judge noted.
The tribunal awarded ₹37.55 lakh in compensation, directing that the amount must be paid with 9 per cent interest per annum from the date of the petition.
Noting that the truck lacked a valid permit at the time of the accident, the tribunal applied the "pay and recover" principle, holding the insurer liable to pay the compensation before seeking reimbursement from the truck owner.
