Samir Chanda
Vs. Managing Director, Assam State TPT. Corpn [1998] INSC 448 (1 September 1998)
K. Venkataswami,
A.P. Misra K. Venkataswami, J.
ACT:
HEAD NOTE:
In
spite of Notice of Lodgment of Petition of Appeal has been serve, the
Respondent has not entered appearance to contest this appeal.
The
facts, as found by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Kamrup, Guwahati, are
given below.
The
appellant was a passenger in a bus belonging to the Respondent-Corporation. On
17.10.1983, when the bus reached the last stoppage and when the passengers were
alighting from the bus, a bomb exploded inside the bus as a result of which the
appellant sustained serious injuries on his legs.
The
other passengers also suffered serious injuries due to the bomb explosion. on
account of this, the appellant preferred M.A.C. Case No. 64(k)/84 claiming a
compensation of Rs. 3,82,000/- . The Tribunal found that it had jurisdiction to
entertain and adjudicate the claim since the bomb had exploded inside the bus.
The Tribunal held that the injuries sustained by the appellant were permanent
in nature and awarded a compensation of Rs. 1,20,000/- by order dated
2.2.19993.
Aggrieved
by that, the Respondent preferred an appeal to the Guwahati High Court in M.A.
(F) NO. 72/93. The High Court did not disturb the findings of the Tribunal on
facts.
However,
it was of the view that there was no negligence on the part of the owner or the
driver of the vehicle and, therefore, the question of paying compensation did
not arise. Accordingly, the High Court set aside the award of the Tribunal.
The
appellant aggrieved by the judgment of the High Court has preferred this
appeal.
The
appellant in his claim petition has categorically stated as follows:- " On
the date of accident, the claimant boarded the bus at Judge's field in order to
go to his residence at Kahilipara. At that time an abnormal situation arose out
of Foreigners Deportation movement. The A.S.T.C. authority plied the City Buses
with police help, since before the accident and after the accident. But on the
date of the accident, there was no police help in the city bus. The driver of
the bus did not take due care and caution in driving the bus." In support
of that statement, an evidence was also given before the Tribunal. In the light
of the above averment and evidence, the Tribunal found as follows:
"It
is admitted that the present accident took place when a bomb exploded inside it
when the bus stopped at last stoppage of the route and it was in stationary
condition.
...................................
.........................
Here
in the case in hand, at the relevant time Assam Agitation was in full swing
which necessitated either the conductor of the bus or its driver to take extra
care which was found lacking here and as such the accident, I hold, took
arising out of the use of motor vehicle and both cases are held
maintainable." After fixing the liability on the Respondent, the Tribunal
assessed the compensation in a sum of Rs.1,20,000/- and awarded the said sum
with 12% interest.
The
High Court was of the view that there was no question of negligence on the part
of the owner or driver of the vehicle. The High Court observed thus:- "
When there is a bomb blast and the accident is caused due to bomb blast, it is
not a case of any negligence on the part of the owners of the driver, but
because of some other events over which the owner or the driver have no
control. Such an accident is not the result of negligence or failure to do some
duty. It cannot be said in such a case that there is negligence on the part of
the owner or the driver. If there is no negligence on the part of the owner or
the driver. If there is no negligence on the part of the owner or the driver,
the question of paying compensation by the owner or by the driver does not
arise.
Accordingly,
we allow these appeals and set aside the judgment and awards dated 2.2.1993
passed by the Member, Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, Kamrup at Guwahati in MAC
Case No. 64(k) of 1984 and MAC Case No. 65(k) of 1984.
At the
notice stage, this Court by order dated 18.9.1995 observe as follows :- "
The first question which arises for consideration is whether the bomb blast
which caused injuries to the petitioner took place outside the motor vehicle
and whether the petitioner sustained injuries as a result thereof. The High
Court appears to have taken the view that it was so. The jurisdiction of the
Motor Accident Claims Tribunal depends on the correctness of this finding. the
learned counsel for the petitioner wants to produce the entire evidence adduced
before the Tribunal to enable proper examination of this finding of the High
Court. This be done within eight weeks. List thereafter." After perusing
the documents produced pursuant to the above order dated 18.9.1995, this Court
granted leave on 20.11.1995.
The
learned counsel appearing for the appellant invited our attention to a decision
of this Court in shivaji Dayanu Patil and Another vs. Vatschala Uttam More (Smt)
- [ (191) 3 SCC 530] to support and to restore the Award of the Tribunal which
has been set aside by the High Court. In said case, there was a collision
between a petrol tanker and a truck on a National Highway at about 3.00 A.M. , as
a result of which the tanker went off the road and fell on its left side at a
distance of about 20 feet from the Highway. As a result of the collision, the
petrol contained in the tanker leaked out and collected nearby. About four
hours later, an explosion took place in the tanker causing burn injuries to
those assembled near it and one such person's legal representative filed claim
petition before the Tribunal under section 92-A as well as under section 110 of
the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939.
This
Court while repelling various arguments put forward, repudiating the claim,
held as follows : - "26. These decisions indicate that the word
"use" in the context of motor vehicles, has been construed in a wider
sense to include the period when the vehicle is not moving and is stationary,
being either parked on the road and when it is not in a position to move due to
some breakdown or mechanical defect. relying on the above mentioned decisions,
the appellant bench of the High Court has held that the expression "use of
a motor vehicle" in Section 92-A covers accidents which occur both when
the vehicle is in motion and when it is stationary. With reference to the facts
of the present case, the learned Judges have observed that the tanker in
question while proceeding along National Highway 4 (i.e. while in use) after
colliding with a motor lorry was lying on the side and that it cannot be
claimed that after the collision the use of the tanker had ceased only because
it was disabled. We are in agreement with the said approach of the High Court.
In our opinion, the word "use" has a wider connotation to cover the
period when the vehicle is not moving and is stationary and the use of a
vehicle does not cease on account of the vehicle having been rendered immobile
on account of a breakdown or mechanical defect or accident.
In the
circumstance, it cannot be said that the petrol tanker was not in the use at
the time when it was lying on its side after the collision with the
truck." This view has been referred to and applied in a recent decision of
this Court in Union of India vs. United India Insurance Co. Ltd. & Others -
[ (1997) 8 SCC 683].
After
going through the judgment of the High Court, we are of the view that the High
Court was not right on facts that there was no negligence on the part of the
owner or the driver of the bus especially when the appellant has specifically
pleaded about the negligence which was accepted by the Tribunal in the light of
the pleadings and of the evidence produced before it. The explosion took place
inside the bus is an admitted fact and the usual police escort was not there.
The High Court, except observing that there was no negligence, has not upset
the finding of the Tribunal that the atmosphere during the period of accident
was so polluted requiring care on the part of the conductor and driver of the
bus. There cannot be any doubt that the accident arose out of the use of the
motor vehicle justifying the claim of the appellant. We are satisfied with the
assessment of the Tribunal in quantifying the compensation in a sum of Rs.1,20,000/-
with interest at the rate of 12%.
In the
result, the appeal is allowed, the judgment under appeal is set aside and the
Award of the Tribunal is restored. There will be no order as to costs.
When
the matter was before the High Court, it appears that a sum of Rs. 25,000/- was
given to the appellant and the High Court while disposing of the appeal
directed that the amount already paid need not be refunded by the appellant
herein. This amount of Rs. 25,000/- must be given credit to while realising the
award amount.
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