ORIENTAL INSURANCE CO LTD Vs. VINOD KUMAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The complainant/respondent being owner of a Scorpio vehicle bearing registration no. DL 8CJ 8798, got the said vehicle insured with the petitioner Company for a period from 29.03.2004 to 28.03.2005. The vehicle met with an accident at Karnal bypass on 24.06.2004 and sustained several damages. The vehicle was repaired by the workshop and returned to the complainant, who paid a sum of Rs. 1,35,184/- to the workshop, for carrying out the repairs. The complainant/respondent then submitted the claim with the petitioner Company, which was rejected on the ground that the licence possessed by the driver of the vehicle was a fake licence since it had not been issued by licencing authority, Karnal, by which it purported to be issued.

(2.) Being aggrieved from the denial of the claim, the respondent/complainant approached the concerned District Forum by way of a complaint. The complaint was resisted by the Insurance Company on the same ground on which the claim was earlier rejected by it.

(3.) The District Forum vide its order dated 11.05.2006, directed the petitioner Company to pay a sum of Rs. 1,35,184/- to the complainant alongwith compensation amounting to Rs. 10,000/- and costs of litigation amounting to Rs. 2,000/-.