Judgment:
Misc. Appeal No.276/2012 13.03.2013: Shri Arubendra Singh, learned counsel for the appellants. Shri T.S. Lamba, learned counsel for respondent No.3. This appeal has been filed by the appellants aggrieved of the award dated 13/10/2011 passed by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Maihar, Distt. Satna on having dismissal of the claim petition filed under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act preliminarily on the ground that the appellants have not been able to prove rash and negligent act on the part of the driver of the truck bearing registration not M.P.17H.H./0552 which is allegedly involved in the accident. The relevant paragraphs are from 10 to 13 of the award whereby the claim of the appellants has been denied for which discussions have been in relation to Issue No.1 framed in the said matter by the Accident Claims Tribunal which are as under:
10. bl fookn;d dk izek.k Hkkj vkosndx.k ij gS A vkosfndk jkeckbZ ¼v-lk-½ us dFku iSjk&1 esa crk;k gS fd mldh iq=h uhrk dh nq?.kZVuk essa e`R;q gks pqdh gS ysfdu uhrk dh e`R;q fdl okgu ls fdlds }kjk dkfjr dh xbZ ;k okgu pkyd mis{kkoku Fkk].bl laca/k esa lk{kh esa dqN Hkh ugha dgk gS A izfrijh{k.k dh dafMdk&11 esa ;g dgk gS fd og nq?.kZVuk ugha ns[kh blfy;s ugha crk ldrh fd nq?.kZVuk dSls gqbZ gS A vkosnd dh rjQ ls tks vU; nks lk{kh MkW- fujatu cM+xS;k ¼vk-lk-2½ ,oa Lo;a jkgqy lksuh ¼vk-lk- 3½ mifLFkr gq, gSa].mUgksaus Hkh nq?.kZVuk fdl izdkj vkSj fdldh ykijokgh ls ?.kfVr gqbZ].bl ckjs esa dqN ugha crk;k gS A 11.vuk- dz- 4 Hkqous’oj lksuh tks e`frdk dk ifr gS].us Hkh vius eq[; dFku esa cgqr dqN crk;k gS ysfdu nq?.kZVuk dc].dSls vkSj fdldh ykijokgh ls ?.kfVr gqbZ].bl ckjs esa dqN ugha crk;k gS A 12.vkosndx.k ds fo)ku vf/koDrk }kjk ;g rdZ fd;k x;k gS fd vkosndx.k dh rjQ ls vijkf/kd izdj.k ds nLrkost vafre fjiksVZ iz- ih —1].izFke lwpuk fjiksVZ iz-ih- 2].uD’kk ekSdk iz-ih- 3].tIrhi=d iz- ih- 4 ,oa 5 ,oa vuk- dz- 1 dk fxjQ~rkjh i=d iz-ih- 6 ls gh ;g izekf.kr gks tkrk gS fd vuk- dz- 1 ds mrkoysiu ;k mis{kkiw.kZ okgu pkyu ds QyLo:i gh uhrk dh e`R;q gqbZ Fkh A ysfdu fo)ku vf/koDrk ds rdZ esa dksbZ cy ugha gS D;ksafd U;k;n`"Vkr uUnw flag fo:) tghu 2005 ¼1½ ,e-ih- MCY;w- ,u-91 ¼Mh-ch-½ esa ;g vo/kkfjr fd;k x;k gS fd vf/kdj.k].vkijkf/kd izdj.k dh lk{; ;k izFke lwpuk fjiksVZ ds vk/kkj ij gh fu"d"kZ ugha fudky ldrk].cfYd mls dsoy nkok izdj.k esa nh xbZ lk{; dk ewY;kadu djuk pkfg, A vksfj;aVy ba’;ksjsUl daiuh fo:) ehuk okfj;ky ,-vkbZ- vkj- 2007 ,l-lh- 1609 esa ;g vo/kkfjr fd;k x;k gS fd /kkjk 166 eksVj;ku vf/kfu;e ds rgr nkok izLrqr djus okys vkosnd dks ;g izekf.kr djuk gksxk fd nq?.
kZVuk okgu pkyd }kjk mrkoysiu ;k mis{kkiw.kZ pkyd ds QyLo:i gqbZ Fkh A 13.pWafd bl izdj.k esa fdlh Hkh lk{kh us ;g ugha crk;k gS fd nq?.kZVuk vuk- dz- 1 ds mrkoysiu ;k mis{kkiw.kZ pkyu ds QyLo:i gqbZ Fkh].,slh n’kk esa fdlh izR;{k lk{; ds vHkko esa dsoy vkijkf/kd izdj.k ds nLrkostksa ds vk/kkj ij ;g izekf.kr ugha ekuk tk ldrk gS fd vuk- dz- 1 ds mrkoysiu ;k mis{kkiw.kZ okgu pkyu ds QyLo:i gqbZ nq?.kZVuk ds dkj.k uhrk dh e`R;q gqbZ Fkh A ,slh n’kk es fookn~;d dzekad ¼1½ **udkjkRed** fujkd`r fd;k tkrk gS A On the basis of the finding recorded with respect to issue No.1, the claim of the appellants has been denied. At this stage, learned counsel for the appellants submits that on the issue of negligence, the appellant was in a position to prove the negligence of the truck driver. He says that FIR maker had himself seen that the driver had driven the truck rashly and negligently, however, he could not appear during the course of trial. In addition to that, there were other witnesses. The appellants submit that they will produce those witnesses before the Claims Tribunal if an opportunity is granted to them in the interest of justice. The appeal is partly allowed and award passed by the Claims Tribunal is hereby set aside. The matter is remanded to the Claims Tribunal with liberty to the appellants to produce all his relevant witnesses to prove the negligence of the truck driver at his own responsibility on the date as may be fixed by the Tribunal.
For the aforesaid purpose, parties will appear before the Claims Tribunal on 22nd April, 2013. The Tribunal shall fix the date when the appellants bring their witnesses to examine on the point of negligence of the driver.
The respondents will be entitled to adduce evidence in rebuttal, if required. The Tribunal shall disposed of the matter within a period of three months from the date of appearance of the parties. In the light of the order of remand, crossobjection filed by respondent No.3 is disposed of with liberty to respondent No.3 to raise issue again before the trial Court. (M.C. Garg) Judge ts