The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Thane has directed the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) to pay a compensation of ₹1.12 crore to the family of a Mumbai police constable who died in a tragic road accident in 2022.
In its order delivered on Friday, MACT member R.V. Mohite held the MSRTC primarily responsible for the accident and awarded compensation to the deceased constable’s wife, daughter, parents, and sister. The tribunal also imposed an interest of 9% per annum on the amount, effective from the date of filing the petition until its full deposit, with a one-month deadline for payment.
The victim, 30-year-old Girish Ashok Harad, was on his way to report for night duty on a scooter when a speeding MSRTC bus veered off the road and crashed into his vehicle near Sonawale village in Thane district. Harad sustained critical injuries and later died while undergoing treatment in a Kalyan hospital.
Harad, who earned ₹58,822 per month, was survived by his wife, a three-year-old daughter, his parents, and an unmarried sister—all of whom were financially dependent on him. The family filed a claim petition supported by evidence, including the FIR, spot panchanama, postmortem report, and the chargesheet filed against the bus driver.
While MSRTC, represented by advocate H.P. Patil, argued that the accident was due to Harad’s negligence and claimed the bus was on its correct path, the tribunal found otherwise. It noted that the road was wet due to rain, requiring both drivers to exercise greater caution.
Concluding that the accident resulted from contributory negligence, the tribunal attributed 80% fault to the MSRTC bus driver and 20% to the deceased constable.
The awarded compensation comprised:
- ₹72.73 lakh for loss of future income
- ₹36.36 lakh towards future prospects
- ₹2 lakh for loss of consortium
- ₹1.5 lakh for loss of love and affection
- ₹15,000 each for funeral expenses and loss of estate
As per the tribunal’s order, Harad’s wife will receive ₹60.90 lakh, while ₹44 lakh is allocated to his minor daughter. His parents are to receive ₹3 lakh each and his sister ₹2 lakh.
The tribunal further instructed that ₹25 lakh from the wife’s share be invested in a fixed deposit for five years, and the daughter’s entire share be fixed in a nationalised bank until she turns 18.
