Send emails to tribunals on deposits: Madras HC

CHENNAI: After finding several discrepancies in the disbursal of compensation to accident victims, the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed insurance companies and transport corporations to send emails to the respective motor accident claims tribunals within 48 hours of depositing the compensation money.

The court took up the issue suo motu after allegations surfaced that there was misappropriation of Rs 1.5 crore, which a Pattukottai court awarded as compensation to road accident victims. The court appointed district-level nodal officers to inspect all the records pertaining to motor accident cases and to come up with a foolproof and uniform system to prevent such misappropriation in the future.

On Tuesday, a special bench of Justices PN Prakash and Abdul Quddhose passed interim orders on a plea by stating that all insurance companies and transport corporations must send emails to the respective motor accident claims tribunals within 48 hours of depositing the award amounts, with requisite particulars of the unique transaction reference (UTR) numbers and MCOP numbers for reconciliation of the same by the tribunals concerned.

The court also held a video-conference with all district nodal officers appointed for the process to keep a check on all motor accident cases. It further directed for a training programme to be conducted by the TNSJA on July 10, and said district nodal officers must commence inspection work with the assistant nodal officers in their respective districts. The court adjourned the plea to July 27 for a further hearing.