Eight years after a non-resident Indian was crushed to death by a tractor on a road linking Delhi and Gurgaon, his family has been awarded a compensation of Rs 1.15 crore by a city court.
Rajesh Khetrapal (44), a Master with Wallen Ship Management Ltd, Hong Kong, died on November 19,
2000, after being hit by a tractor while returning, along with his wife and two children, in his car to Delhi from Gurgaon.
Motor Accident Claim Tribunal judge Swarana Kanta Sharma on Monday directed the tractor owner, Mohd. Sahid, and driver Mohd Hanif to pay Rs 1,15,34,000 with an interest of 7.5 per cent to the family of the victim within 30 days.
The court rejected Sahid’s plea he did not own the vehicle, registered in the name of one Chand Ram.
Ram, however, produced documents to claim he sold the vehicle to Sahid on October 9, 2000, well before a month of the
accident. He also proved before court that Sahid had got the vehicle released on a bond from a Gurgaon court, which is conducting criminal trial for the accident.
Responding to the judgment, their lawyer, however, said it was impossible for the accused to pay such a hefty amount and that they will soon file an appeal.
Khetrapal, who stayed out of the country for six months in a year, earned Rs 1,90,000 per month from his job.
This is the second case where such a high compensation was awarded in 2008. In April, the family of a multi-national corporation employee who died in an accident was awarded a compensation of Rs 1.17 crore by a Delhi court.