The Madras High Court today dismissed a plea by a Regional Transport Officer against his suspension for giving fitness certificate to a school bus from which a 6-year-old girl was slipped through a hole on the floor of the vehicle and was run over by its rear wheels in 2012.
Dismissing the plea by K Pattappasamy, Justice K K Sasidharan in his order said the authorities under the Motor Vehicles Act and police seldom check these vehicles and as a result accidents of this nature happen many a time.
The concerned authorities must realise their statutory duty. The transport department and police should conduct periodical check of school buses and must ensure strict compliance of the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and Rules made there under. There should not be any more such cases on account of the negligence and carelessness of the authorities concerned, he said.
The accident occurred in July 25, 2012 when S Sruthi, a class II student of a suburban school, got up when the vehicle reached her stop. Her feet slipped into a gaping hole under the floor of her seat and she fell on the road below. The rear wheels of the bus ran over her, killing her instantly.
The government suspended a few officials of the motor vehicles department, including Pattappasamy, after a preliminary probe said Motor Vehicle Inspector who had inspected the vehicle and renewed its fitness certificate and the RTO, who was expected to cross check the vehicle, failed in their duty.
Pattappasamy challenged the suspension contending that he was not expected to inspect all the vehicles and his duty was only to cross check 10 per cent of the verification done by the Motor Vehicles Inspector.
He submitted that he was not liable to be proceeded under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.
The judge said the Tamil Nadu Government Civil Servants Conduct Rules contain detailed provisions with regard to the conduct of inquiry and punishment to be imposed on and dismissed the petition.
