PANJIM: In a significant development, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday asked the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal to complete hearing on the claims of the affected families/victims in the horrific Banastarim accident case within next six months.
The Court was hearing a criminal writ petition, filed by Merc car owner Meghana Sawardekar.
The Court also directed the Crime Branch investigating officer to present a Detailed Accident Report (DAR) within the next 60 days for settling of claims by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal.
As regards the Rs 2 crore deposited by Meghana Sawardekar in the Court Registry as compensation, the division bench comprising Justice Mahesh S Sonak and Justice Bharat P Deshpande has ordered that from this compensation amount, Rs 50 lakh each be given to the families of late Bhavana and Suresh Fadte and Arup Karmarkar, who were killed in the accident on August 6.
The compensation amount be deposited into the accounts of the families of the deceased, the court stated.
As the other victims of the accident who sustained permanent injuries, the court ordered that Rs 40 lakh be given to Shankar Halarnkar, Rs 35 lakh to Vanita Bhandari and Rs 25 lakh to Raj Majgaonkar.
Since Shankar Halarnkar had sustained permanent injuries, the petitioner’s counsel had told the court that Halarnkar requires specialised treatment and the petitioner and her husband will bear the necessary expenses for his treatment.
Under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the Tribunal is constituted to provide speedier remedy to the victims of accident by motor vehicles.
In the horrific accident that occurred on the Banastarim bridge due to drunken, rash and negligent driving by Shripad alias Paresh Sawardekar on August 6, Suresh Phadte and his wife Bhavana from Divar and Anup Karmarkar, who was native of West Bengal and residing at Ponda died on the spot.
The Court later disposed of the criminal writ petition filed by Meghana Sawardekar challenging the summons issued to her by the Mardol Police, directing her to remain present at the Mardol Police Station, for recording her statement.