Merc owner to pay Rs 1.41 L for damaging Army Ambassador

The owner of a Mercedes-Benz car has been asked by a Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) here to pay over Rs 1.4 lakh as compensation to Defence Ministry for the damage caused to an Army vehicle by his rashly driven car eight years ago.
The tribunal directed Delhi resident Bhupinder Patel to pay Rs 1,41,479 to the Centre through Ministry of Defence (MoD), Army Headquarters here for damaging its Ambassador car in an accident at Rao Tula Ram Marg here in South Delhi.
The offending car owner did not appear before the court to contest the case and was later on proceeded ex-parte.

"...In this case, after the accident an FIR was registered with police station R K Puram against driver of offending car under the relevant provisions indicating rashness and this fact alone would lead credence to the assumption that the driver drove the vehicle in a rash and negligent manner which resulted in the accident.
"The said accident has directly inflicted damage on the property of the petitioner (Army) which can be admitted for claim of compensation under provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act," MACT Presiding Officer Vineeta Goyal said.
The MoD approached the tribunal seeking compensation for the damage caused to its Ambassador car in the accident caused by the driver of Mercedes-Benz car.

It said the accident took place on May 15, 2004 when the Army's car being driven by Sunil Kumar was coming back to unit after dropping some officers at Greater Kailash area here.

When he was entering Rao Tula Ram Marg, there was no traffic signal at the crossing and when he was about to take a turn, the Mercedes being rashly driven by its driver came at a speed and hit the Ambassador car causing the damage.
The Ministry had sought a compensation of Rs 1,86,049 but the tribunal awarded it Rs 1.41 lakh saying it was entitled for the actual damage to the property.

"As the offending vehicle was a Mercedes-Benz registered in the name of Bhupinder Patel, therefore, he becomes vicariously liable to compensate the petitioner (Army)," the tribunal said.