Thane, Sep 18 The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has directed the MSRTC to pay a compensation of Rs 31 lakh to the parents of a 25-year-old man who died in an accident in 2019 even though a court acquitted the driver of the state-run corporation's bus which knocked him down.
The finding of a criminal court is not binding on a civil tribunal, said the MACT presided over by R V Mohite in the ruling on Thursday.
The petition, filed by Eknath Namdev Chaudhari (47) and Manisha Eknath Chaudhari (45), sought compensation for the death of their son, Suraj Eknath Chaudhari.
Advocate G A Vinod, their lawyer, said that a speeding Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus coming from the opposite direction struck Suraj when he was riding his motorbike on Kalyan-Murbad road on October 29, 2019.
The bus was allegedly trying to take over another vehicle.
MSRTC lawyer Advocate H P Patil claimed that the victim's own negligence played a role in the accident, and the court had acquitted the bus driver of the charge of rash driving.
But the tribunal held that "an acquittal in a criminal case does not automatically dismiss or affect a motor accident claim petition. Criminal trials and Motor Accident Claims Tribunal proceedings operate in completely different legal spheres."
Criminal cases require proof beyond reasonable doubt, while MACT claims are decided on a preponderance of probabilities. A criminal court finding or acquittal is not binding on the civil tribunal or court handling the compensation claim. The Tribunal must evaluate the evidence, witness testimonies and documents independently to decide negligence and liability under the Motor Vehicles Act, it said.
The tribunal relied on the spot panchanama report to hold that the accident was caused by the sole negligence of the MSRTC bus driver and awarded a compensation of Rs 31.08 lakh to the parents with 9 per cent per annum interest.
