IOC employee's family awarded Rs 1.17 crore compensation

Family of an IOC employee, who died in an accident involving a rashly driven car, has been awarded compensation of Rs 1.17 crore by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal.

The tribunal awarded Rs 1,17,10,224 as compensation to family members of Mukesh Khurana, who was Chief Project Manager with the state-owned oil and gas corporation, and directed National Insurance Company Ltd, with which the offending vehicle was insured, to pay the amount.

"Respondent no. 1, the driver of offending vehicle, has neither himself appeared nor he has proved any other version of accident.

"Thus, in view of testimony of PW 3 (eye witness) and documents on record, the negligence of driver of offending vehicle has been prima facie proved," MACT Presiding Officer Harish Dudani said.

Family of the Indian Oil Corporation employee, residing in Noida, approached the tribunal submitting that the accident took place on September 10, 2009, when the victim and one Gajinder Singh were going to Delhi airport in a car.

They said when the duo reached near a crossing in Sector-39, Noida, all of a sudden the offending vehicle came from a side in a rash and negligent manner and hit them.

Due to the impact, 49-year-old Khurana, who was earning Rs 1.14 lakh per month, sustained injuries and was taken to hospital where he died on the same day.

Ram Awadh, driver of the offending vehicle, and its owner Dash Exports (P) Ltd filed their statement in reply and contended that the accident was caused due to sole negligence of driver of Indica car who tried to jump the traffic signal and suddenly applied brakes in the middle of crossing and struck against their vehicle.

The tribunal, however, rejected their contention and said it has been proved that the accident took place due to Awadh's rash driving.