The High Court, on Monday, gave relief  to a poor coolie who had incurred partial functional disability following a road accident, by awarding Rs 1.83 lakh monetary compensation to him.

On Sept 2000, B Somalingappa of Esamudra Hosahatti in Chitradurga district, a coolie by profession and then 25 years old, was travelling in a private bus, which got tilted unto road side following rash driving. He suffered a compressed fracture in the back bone. Doctors said that he had incurred 35 per cent functional disability.
When Somalingappa moved the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal of Chitradurga claiming a compensation of Rs 5 lakh, it disputed his disability and awarded only Rs 2,000.

Somalingappa moved the High Court with an appeal, which the Division Bench comprising Justice K L Manjunath and Justice Jawad Rahim partly allowed on Monday. The Bench enhanced the compensation to Rs 1.83 lakh, while observing that the Tribunal, without application of mind, had awarded a meagre compensation to the victim.

Bail plea
The High Court, on Monday, heard arguments on the bail petition by N V Krishna Murthy and Rajendra P, president and director of Darshanika Foundation, accused of defrauding public money to the tune of Rs 230 crore.

The petitioners’ counsel sought the court to grant bail while contending that the same would not cause any prejudice to the case. The accused have already deposited a portion of claimed amounts with the trial court having a good will to facilitate refund to contributors, he said.

State Public Prosecutor S Dore Raju opposed the bail saying that the Foundation was started like a charitable trust and then the donors’ money was misappropriated by the accused for their personal benefit.