Maharashtra: Thane Lok Adalat awards kin of accident victim Rs 4.50-crore compensation

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In a significant settlement during the National Lok Adalat held in the Thane district of Maharashtra on Saturday, the relatives of a man killed in a road accident two years ago were awarded a compensation of Rs 4.50 crore, reported news agency PTI. The settlement involved the case of Pankaj Ramesh Shedge, a senior employee at an IT company in Irvine, California, who earned an annual salary of USD 110,000. Shedge tragically lost his life on December 9, 2022, after being hit by a truck while riding his scooter on the Panvel-Mumbra Road.

The family had sought Rs 30 crore in compensation from the insurance company. Advocate GA Vinod, representing the claimants, highlighted the severe emotional and financial impact of Shedge's death, emphasising that he had been the primary breadwinner for the family. After negotiations, the insurance company settled the claim at Rs 4.50 crore.

In addition to this case, numerous other claims were resolved during the hearing by the Lok Adalat. The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) secretary, IK Suryavanshi, stated that a total of 31,125 matters, including both pre-litigation and pending cases, were settled during the Adalat, involving an amount of Rs 159.67 crore. Thane district led Maharashtra in terms of resolved cases, with 20,034 matters settled, including 950 ones that had been pending for 10 to 30 years.

Among the claims settled was a Rs 1.33-crore compensation case following the death of Sushil Mohan Sawant, a 46-year-old manager at a computer firm. Sawant was killed last year in March when a bus hit his motorcycle while he was commuting to work. His family had sought Rs 2 crore from the insurance company.

Settlement cheques were handed over to the claimants during a formal ceremony attended by District Judge AN Sirsikar, Chief Judicial Magistrate SK Fokmare, Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) member SN Shah, and Suryavanshi.

During the Lok Adalat, 217 MACT claims amounting to Rs 26.8 crore were settled, along with 51 marital disputes that were resolved amicably. A total of 985 cheque-bouncing cases involving Rs 12.79 crore were also settled by 108 different panels in Maharashtra. Additionally, various authorities resolved 103 matters involving Rs 33.77 crore.

(With PTI inputs)