E-Paper
MACT awards ₹1.18 crore to family of biker killed in Pune road accident
The claim was filed under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act following the death of Makrand Gopal Jinde
The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Pune, has awarded ₹1,18,16,556 to the widow and mother of a 32-year-old tax consultant who was killed after a cement mixer truck ran over his motorcycle on Jambhulwadi-Shivajinagar Road in April 2023.
Member SR Pawar pronounced the judgment in open court on August 18, 2026, directing the truck owner and its insurer firm to jointly and severally pay the compensation with seven per cent annual interest from the date of filing of the claim petition until realisation. The amount will be equally divided between the deceased’s widow, Neha Makarand Jinde, and mother, Ambika Gopal Jinde.
The claim was filed under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act following the death of Makrand Gopal Jinde. According to the judgment, Jinde was travelling home around 1.30pm on April 25, 2023, when a cement mixer truck (MH-43 U 6695) allegedly hit his motorcycle from behind near Shivajinagar Chowk. He came under the truck’s wheels and died on the spot. The driver fled after stopping some distance away.
A criminal case was registered against the driver under provisions including Sections 279 and 304-A of the Indian Penal Code and relevant provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
The family had initially sought ₹1.40 crore, citing an annual income of ₹9,21,774. The truck owner and insurer disputed negligence and income, with the owner alleging that Jinde was riding rashly, overtaking the truck on a narrow road. They also cited the absence of a helmet and a valid licence.
The tribunal rejected the allegation of contributory negligence. It observed that the truck was much larger than the motorcycle and its driver was expected to exercise greater caution. The tribunal also noted that the road was only 15 feet wide and concluded, on the basis of the evidence and police records, that the truck driver was negligent.
For calculating compensation, the tribunal considered Jinde’s income-tax returns for three years and fixed his average annual income at ₹7,82,449.
After deducting one-third for personal expenses and adding 40 per cent for future prospects, a multiplier of 16 was applied. Loss of dependency was calculated at ₹1,16,84,556. The tribunal additionally awarded ₹18,000 each for funeral expenses and loss of estate, and ₹96,000 towards consortium.
The tribunal held that the widow remained entitled to compensation despite having her own income. The deceased’s mother was also held entitled, while his brother was excluded as he was neither a Class-I heir nor a dependent.
