Neeraj Parkash alleged a PCR vehicle jumped red light in a negligent manner and struck his motorcycle (Representational)The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (MACT) has directed a Police Control Room (PCR) constable and the Inspector General (IG) of Chandigarh Police to pay Rs 2.65 lakh as compensation to a 24-year-old after he was badly injured by a rashly driven PCR vehicle in 2016. The vehicle was registered under IG’s name, which is why the IG, along with the driver constable, has been ordered to pay compensation.
Neeraj Parkash, a resident of Bapudham Colony, Chandigarh, alleged in his application to the tribunal that on March 5, 2016, at around 2.30 pm, he was on his motorcycle near Khalsa College light point, Sector 26, when a PCR vehicle, driven by Constable Umed Singh and bearing registration number – CH-01-G-A 6394 , jumped red light in a negligent manner and struck his motorcycle. Due to the accident, Parkash sustained multiple grievous injuries. He was rushed to PGIMER by the PCR itself, where he was admitted for 10 days, apart from six days in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). A FIR was also registered against Umed Singh at Sector 26 police station.
Following the accident, Parkash moved an application seeking compensation of Rs 40 lakh from the owner and driver of the PCR vehicle. He stated that he worked as a mailroom executive at Conceitrix, IT Park, Chandigarh, and drew a salary of Rs 9200 per month. Due to the accident, he had suffered 45 percent disability in relation to mental ability and had lost his job, consequently. He further stated that he had spend Rs 3.50 lakh on treatment and was still not cured.
On January 27, 2017, SI Raghbir Singh of Chandigarh Police made a statement that the vehicle was not insured. In his statement to court, Umed Singh said that it was the claimant who was driving at a high speed and in a rash manner. He alleged that Parkash jumped the red light and struck against the berm of the road, resulting in injuries. He further said that Parkash’s application was concocted and falsely implicated the PCR vehicle to get compensation. The counsel for IGP and owner of the vehicle, submitted that Umed Singh tried his best to protect the motorcyclist but failed. The tribunal, going by the submissions of the counsels, observed that “…as per the common knowledge, no person will be able to implicate the official vehicle falsely and moreover, the criminal case has also been registered against the driver of the offending vehicle without any delay…”
“…Merely because the same vehicle has taken the injured to the Hospital for the treatment, it is not sufficient to hold that the accident was not due to rash and negligent driving on his part…”, read the judgement. The tribunal, thus, ordered Constable Umed Singh and IG of Chandigarh Police to pay a compensation of Rs 2,65,400 to Parkash, with an interest of 7.5 percent on amount from the date of filing of the claim petition till its realisation.
