Speedy trial gets woman Rs60 lakh compensation

Hindustan Times, New Delhi, Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Who says things always move at a snail's pace in courts? Here is an example of super-fast trial. A Delhi court took just six months to order a compensation of Rs 60 lakh to the family of a school teacher who was run over by a speeding SUV in August 2010. A month after the death of her husband Satya Prakash Tiwari, Kalawati, 47, filed a petition before Motor Accident Tribunal judge Kanwal Jeet Arora in September 2010. Kalawati, a tailor in Indian Air force, fought the legal battle without engaging any lawyer.  The court accepted her plea to fight unassisted and began the trial.

"I decided to fight this battle on my own. The judge appreciated my effort and gave our family speedy justice. But we are still waiting for the compensation amount to be transferred to my account," Kalawati said.

The judge, in the order pronounced on February 28, 2010, said, "The insurance company shall intimate to the petitioners about their having deposited the cheques in favour of the petitioners in terms of the award, at the address of the petitioners mentioned, so as to facilitate them to withdraw the same".

The court had directed Bajaj Allianz General insurance to deposit the compensation within a stipulated time frame or else a 12% interest would be levied on the insurance company.

Delhi police investigating officer Suraj Pal told the court that the deceased, Satya Prakash, a resident of Palam village, who was working as TGT (Sanskrit) with Navyug School, Lodhi Road, New Delhi, was traveling on his motorcycle.

Pal after recording statements of witnesses to the accident told the court that when Satya Prakash reached near Keshav Chowk, a Scorpio Car rammed his motorcycle with great force. Tiwari was rushed to AIIMS where he was declared brought dead.

Satya Prakash is survived by his two sons, Ajay Tiwari and Manish Tiwari, and his mother namely Surya Devi, as his sole legal heirs.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Speedy-trial-gets-woman-Rs60-lakh-compensation/Article1-684097.aspx