United India Insurance Co. Ltd., Kota Through Its Manager v. Tower Colony, Chhabra District Baran

Judgment

1. Om Prakash S/o Devi Lal Ojha, Resident of Ward No. 20, Tower Colony, Chhabra District Baran. Narmata Bai, Aged About 12 Years Pooja Bai, Aged About 10 Years Ashu, Aged About 3 Years Ajay, Aged About 4 Months

5. Respondents No. 2 to 5 Are Minors Through Their Natural

Guardian i.e. Father Shri Om Prakash Ojha, Residents of Ward No. 20, Chhabra District Baran. ----Respondent/Claimants

6. Jamna Lal S/o Ram Dayal, Resident of Jaipala, At Present Resident of Ward No. 20, Tower Colony, Chhabra, District Baran. ----Respondent/Driver

7. Himmat Soni S/o Jamna Lal Soni, Resident of Station Road, Alankar Jewellers, Chhabra District Baran. ----Respondent/Owner For Appellant(s) : Mr. Ayush Singh, Adv. For Respondent(s) : Mr. K.N. Tiwari, Adv. Mr. Laxmi Niwas Koli, Adv. for Mr. Sanjay Kumar Sharma, Adv. [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (2 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE CHANDRA PRAKASH SHRIMALI Order RESERVED ON : 07/08/2025 PRONOUNCED ON : 08/09/2025 vihykFkhZ chek daiuh dh vksj ls ;g vihy fo}ku U;k;k/kh'k eksVj nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k] vij ftyk ,oa ls'ku U;k;k/kh'k ¼QkLV Vªsd½] NcM+k] ftyk ckjka }kjk ,e-,-lh- çdj.k la[;k 85@2008 ¼03@2008½ esa ikfjr fu.kZ; fnukad 16-05-2009 ls O;fFkr gksdj çLrqr dh x;h gS] ftlds ek/;e ls fo}ku vf/kdj.k us çR;FkhZx.k@nkosnkjku dh ;kfpdk varxZr /kkjk 166 eksVj okgu vf/kfu;e Lohdkj dj muds i{k esa dqy 1]50]000@& :i;s {kfriwfrZ jkf'k e; 7-5 izfr'kr okf"kZd C;kt nj ls C;kt vnk fd;s tkus dk vkns'k fn;k gSA vihykFkhZx.k ds fo}ku vf/koäk dk cgl ds nkSjku ;g rdZ jgk gS fd bl çdj.k esa ftl VªSDVj ls nq?kZVuk ?kfVr gqbZ gS] mls izR;FkhZ la[;k 6 dk vo;Ld iq= "X" ¼fof/k esa of.kZr izko/kkuksa ds rgr vo;Ld ckyd dk uke vafdr ugh dj mls "X" ds uke ls lacksf/kr fd;k tk jgk gS½ pyk jgk Fkk vkSj mlds ikl ojoDr nq?kZVuk çHkkoh o oS/k ykblsal ugha FkkA ,slh fLFkfr esa okgu Lokeh us chek lafonk dh 'krksaZ dk mYya?ku fd;k gS] ftl dkj.k chek daiuh çfrdj jkf'k dh vnk;xh ds fy, nkf;Rok/khu ugha gS] fQj Hkh fo}ku vf/kdj.k us ;g ekurs gq, dh vo;Ld ckyd us okgu dks pyk;k vkSj bl rF; dks njfdukj djrs gq, /kkjk 133 eksVj okgu vf/kfu;e ds uksfVl ds vk/kkj ij teukyky dks ojoä nq?kZVuk okgu dk pkyd crkrs gq, {kfriwfrZ jkf'k vfHkfu/kkZfjr dj chek daiuh dks {kfriwfrZ jkf'k dh vnk;xh ds fy, mÙkjnk;h eku fy;kA [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (3 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] çR;FkhZx.k@nkosnkjku ds fo}ku vfHkHkk"kd dk cgl ds nkSjku ;g rdZ jgk gS fd iqfyl us ojoä nq?kZVuk teukyky dks okgu dk pkyd crkrs gq, vkjksi i= çLrqr fd;k gS vkSj ojoä nq?kZVuk mlds ikl oS/k o çHkkoh ykblsal FkkA ,slh fLFkfr esa bl çdj.k esa chek lafonk dh 'krksaZ dk dksbZ mYya?ku ugha gqvk gSA vr% fo}ku vf/kdj.k us fof/kd çko/kkuksa ds rgr lgh fu.kZ; ikfjr fd;k gSA fQj Hkh ;fn ;g ekuk tkos dh ojoä nq?kZVuk okgu dks teukyky dk vo;Ld iq= VªSDVj pyk jgk Fkk] ftldh mis{kk vkSj ykijokgh ls nq?kZVuk ?kfVr gqbZ] rks ,slh fLFkfr esa Hkh chek daiuh {kfriwfrZ jkf'k dh vnk;xh ds fy, nkf;Rok/khu gS vkSj og {kfriwfrZ jkf'k okgu Lokeh vFkok pkyd ls fu;ekuqlkj olwy dj ldrh gSA vr% chek daiuh dh vihy vLohdkj dj [kkfjt dh tk,A eSaus mHk; i{kksa ds rdksaZ ij euu fd;k rFkk i=koyh dk voyksdu fd;kA orZeku çdj.k esa loZçFke çn'kZ ,u-,- 3 ds vk/kkj ij çFke lwpuk fjiksVZ çR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k us iqfyl Fkkuk NcM+k] ftyk ckjka esa ntZ djok;h FkhA izn'kZ N.A. 3@2 ?kVuk dh fjiksVZ esa çR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k us ;g crk;k gS fd lqcg 5-45 ,-,e- dh ckr gS] mldh iq=h lksuk ckbZ mez 8 o"kZ ?kj ds ckgj is'kkc dj jgh Fkh vkSj mlds iM+kslh teukyky esgj dk VªSDVj mlds ?kj ds ckgj [kM+k gqvk FkkA rc teukyky ?kj esa lks jgk Fkk rc mlds cPps "X" mez 4 o"kZ us VªSDVj dh pkch ?kj ls ykdj VªSDVj dh lhV ij cSBdj pkch VªSDVj esa yxk yhA ftlls VªSDVj vpkud py iM+k] ftlls çR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k dh 8 o"khZ; iq=h VªSDVj ds ifg, ds uhps vk xbZA VªSDVj pkyw gh jgk] ftls [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (4 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] teukyky us vkdj ihNs fy;k vkSj bl ?kVuk ls çR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k dh 8 o"khZ; iq=h dh e`R;q gks xbZA çn'kZ N.A. 3@2 ?kVuk dh fjiksVZ fnukad 16-07-2007 dks nq?kZVuk ?kfVr gksus ds i'pkr rqjar ntZ djok nh x;h Fkh] ftl ij vfo'okl fd;s tkus dk dksbZ vk/kkj i=koyh ij miyC/k lk{; ls ugha ik;k tkrk gSA ,slh fLFkfr esa ;g Li"V gS fd VªSDVj pkyd çR;FkhZ la[;k 6 teukyky dk 4 o"khZ; iq= "X" us VªSDVj dh pkch ?kj ls ykdj VªSDVj esa yxkdj VªSDVj pkyw dj fn;k] ftlls çR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k dh 8 o"khZ; iq=h dh VªSDVj ls VDdj yxus ds dkj.k e`R;q gks x;hA iqfyl us çdj.k esa vuqla/kku dj /kkjk 133 eksVj okgu vf/kfu;e ds uksfVl o vU; vk/kkjksa ij çR;FkhZ la[;k 6 teukyky dks okgu pkyd gksuk crkrs gq, rFkk mldh mis{kk vkSj ykijokgh ls okgu pykus ds —R; ls ?kVuk ?kfVr gksuk crkrs gq, çR;FkhZ la[;k 6 ds fo#) vkjksi i= çLrqr dj fn;kA fo}ku vf/kdj.k us fook|d la[;k ,d foosfpr djrs gq, fu"d"kZ esa viuk er fn;k gS fd VªSDVj dks foi{kh la[;k 1 teukyky dk vo;Ld iq= rks py jgk Fkk] ftlls nq?kZVuk ?kfVr gqbZ] ysfdu {kfriwfrZ jkf'k ds fu/kkZj.k ds laca/k esa fook|d la[;k 4 dk foospu djrs gq, fo}ku vf/kdj.k us ;g er O;ä fd;k gS fd okgu ekfyd }kjk chek daiuh dh 'krksaZ dk mYya?ku ugha fd;k x;k gS] D;ksafd ?kVuk ds le; okgu ekfyd fgEer lksuh us okgu pkyd teukyky dks VªSDVj dk pkyd j[k j[kk Fkk vkSj teukyky ds ikl VªSDVj pykus dk ykblsal Fkk rFkk VªSDVj chek daiuh ds ;gka chfer FkkA bl izdkj esjs fouez er esa fo}ku vf/kdj.k us viuk fu"d"kZ mfpr ugha fudyk gSA [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (5 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] /kkjk 133 eksVj okgu vf/kfu;e dk uksfVl nsus ek= ls ;g ugha ekuk tk ldrk gS fd ojoä nq?kZVuk ç'uxr okgu dk pkyd teukyky jgk gks vkSj mldh mis{kk o ykijokgh ls nq?kZVuk ?kfVr gqbZ gksA ;g Loh—r fLFkr gS fd teukyky ds iq= }kjk VªSDVj LVkVZ djus ds dkj.k ls izR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k dh iq=h dh e`R;q gqbZ gSA fo}ku vf/kdj.k dk vkyksP; fu.kZ; esa ;g dguk fd okgu ekfyd us teukyky dks pkyd j[k j[kk Fkk vkSj mlds ikl VªSDVj pykus dk oS/k ykblsal Fkk] ;g er fof/kd çko/kkuksa ds rgr mfpr çrhr ugha gksrk gSA United India Insurance Company Vs. Rakesh Kumar Arora & Others (2008) 13 SCC 298 fofu'p; ds iSjk la[;k 13 esa ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; us ;g er O;Dr fd;k gS fd%& "13. This aspect of the matter has been considered by this Court in Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. vs. Prithvi Raj (2008 (1) SCALE 727) wherein upon taking into consideration a large number of decisions, it was held that the Insurance Company was not liable, stating : "9. In the instant case, the State Commission has categorically found that the evidence on record clearly established that the licensing authority had not issued any license, as was claimed by the Driver and the respondent. The evidence of Shri A.V.V.Rajan, Junior Assistant of the Office of the Jt. Commissioner & Secretary, RTA, Hyderabad who produced the official records clearly established that no driving license was issued to Shri Ravinder Kumar or Ravinder Singh in order to enable and legally permit him to drive a motor vehicle. There was no cross examination of the said witness. The National Commission also found that there [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (6 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] was no defect in the finding recorded by the State Commission in this regard."" blh izdkj bl U;k;ky; dh led{k ihB }kjk S.B. Civil Misc. Appeal No. 1821/2007 National Insurance Comapny Ltd. Vs. Batul & Others Order Dated 06.02.2015 ds iSjk la[;k 8 esa ;g er O;Dr fd;k gS fd%& “8. In National Insurance Company Ltd. Versus Vidhyadhar Mahariwala & Ors. reported in 2009 RAR(SC) 36, the Hon'ble Supreme Court observed as under:- “9. In Kusum Rai's case (supra) it was held asfollows:-

14. This Court in Swaran Singh 2004 (3) SCC297 clearly laid down that the liability of theInsurance Company vis-a-vis the owner woulddepend upon several factors. The owner wouldbe liable for payment of compensation in a casewhere the driver was not having a licence at all.It was the obligation on the part of the owner totake adequate care to see that the driver had anappropriate licence to drive the vehicle. Thequestion as regards the liability of the owner vis-a- vis the driver being not possessed of a validlicence was considered in Swaran Singh stating:(SCC pp. 336-37, para 89)” mijksä fofu'p; esa vfHkfu/kkZfjr fl)karksa o i=koyh ij miyC/k lk{; ls ;g Li"V gS dh ?kVuk ds le; izR;FkhZ la[;k 6 teukyky ds iq= }kjk VªSDVj dks pykus ds ifj.kkeLo#i çR;FkhZ la[;k 1 vkse çdk'k dh iq=h dh e`R;q gqbZ vkSj ml le; teukyky ds iq= ds ikl dksbZ oS/k o çHkkoh ykblsal ugha FkkA ,slh fLFkfr esa okgu Lokeh us chek lafonk dh 'krksaZ dk mYya?ku fd;k gSA esjs fouez er esa fo}ku vf/kdj.k us chek daiuh dks [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (7 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] {kfriwfrZ jkf'k ds nkf;Rok/khu ekudj fof/kd Hkwy o =qfV dh gSA vr% chek daiuh mijksä foospu ds vk/kkj ij fo}ku vf/kdj.k }kjk ikfjr fu.kZ; o vokMZ fnukad 16-05-2009 esa tks {kfriwfrZ jkf'k nkosnkjku dks fnyok;h x;h gS] mldh vnk;xh ds fy, nkf;Rok/khu ugha gSA tgka rd chek daiuh }kjk mDr izfrdj dh vnk;xh dj mldh olwyh okgu Lokeh ls djus dk iz'u gS] rks ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; }kjk Shamanna & Others Vs. The Divisional Manager (2018) 9 SCC 650 fofu'p; esa vfHkfu/kkZfjr fl)karksa dks ;gka mYysf[kr fd;k tkuk U;k;ksfpr gksxk%& "12. Since the reference to the larger bench in Parvathneni case has been disposed of by keeping the questions of law open to be decided in an appropriate case, presently the decision in Swaran Singh case followed in Laxmi Narain Dhut and other cases hold the field. The award passed by the Tribunal directing the insurance company to pay the compensation amount awarded to the claimants and thereafter, recover the same from the owner of the vehicle in question, is in accordance with the judgment passed by this Court in Swaran Singh and Laxmi Narain Dhut cases. While so, in our view, the High Court ought not to have interfered with the award passed by the Tribunal directing the first respondent to pay and recover from the owner of the vehicle. The impugned judgment of the High Court exonerating the insurance company from its liability and directing the claimants to recover the compensation from the owner of the vehicle is set aside and the award passed by the Tribunal is restored.

13. So far as the recovery of the amount from the owner of the vehicle, the insurance company shall recover as held in the decision in Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Nanjappan and others (2004) 13 SCC 224 where this Court held that [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (8 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] “….that for the purpose of recovering the same from the insured, the insurer shall not be required to file a suit. It may initiate a proceeding before the concerned Executing Court as if the dispute between the insurer and the owner was the subject matter of determination before the Tribunal and the issue is decided against the owner and in favour of the insurer.”

14. In the result, the impugned judgment of the High Court insofar as enhancement of the compensation to Rs.4,94,700/- is affirmed. Insofar as direction of the impugned judgment directing the appellants/claimants to recover the compensation from the owner of the vehicle is set aside and the appeal is partly allowed. The first respondent insurance company shall pay the enhanced compensation to the appellants/claimants along with the accrued interest and the insurance company shall recover the same from the owner of the vehicle. No costs." ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; ds fofu'p; Parminder Singh Vs. New India Assurance Company Ltd. & Others; AIR 2019 SC 3128 esa Hkh ;g vfHkfu/kkZfjr fd;k x;k gS fd%& "7.1. This Court in Shamanna & Ors. v. The Divisional Manager, The Oriental Insurance Co. Ltd. & Ors., held that if the driver of the offending vehicle does not possess a valid driving license, the principle of ‘pay and recover’ can be ordered to direct the insurance company to the pay the victim, and then recover the amount from the owner of the offending vehicle." ,sls esa mDr fofu'p;ksa esa ekuuh; mPpre U;k;ky; }kjk vfHkfu/kkZfjr fl)karksa dks n`f"Vxr j[krs gq, tgka chek lafonk dh 'krkZsa dk mYya?ku gksrk gks rFkk r`rh; i{kdkj varoZfyr gks vkSj chek daiuh izfrdj dh jkf'k dh vnk;xh ds fy, nkf;Rok/khu ugha gksrh gks] ,slh fLFkfr esa vf/kdj.k ;k mPp U;k;ky; chek daiuh dks izfrdj dh jkf'k dh vnk;xh [2025:RJ-JP:34534] (9 of 9) [CMA-4240/2009] ds fy, vknsf'kr dj ldrs gSa rFkk mDr jkf'k dks okgu Lokeh ls olwy djus dk vkns'k iznku dj ldrs gSaA bl izdkj mijksDr fofu'p;ksa ds vk/kkj ij chek daiuh dks nkosnkjku dks izfrdj jkf'k dk Hkqxrku djus rFkk mDr jkf'k okgu Lokeh ls olwy djus dk vkns'k fn;k tkuk U;k;ksfpr izrhr gksrk gSA vr% mijksDr foospukuqlkj vihykFkhZ chek daiuh dh vksj ls izLrqr vihy vkaf'kd :i ls Lohdkj dh tkdj fo}ku U;k;k/kh'k eksVj nq?kZVuk nkok vf/kdj.k] vij ftyk ,oa ls'ku U;k;k/kh'k ¼QkLV Vªsd½] NcM+k] ftyk ckjka }kjk ,e-,-lh- çdj.k la[;k 85@2008 ¼03@2008½ esa ikfjr fu.kZ; fnukad 16-05-2009 mikarfjr djrs gq, vkns'k fn;k tkrk gS fd fo}ku vf/kdj.k }kjk izR;FkhZ la[;k 1 ls 5@nkosnkjku dks fnyk;h x;h izfrdj jkf'k dh vnk;xh ds fy, chek daiuh nkf;Rok/khu ugha gS] ijarq chek daiuh dks vknsf'kr fd;k tkrk gS fd og izR;FkhZ la[;k 1 ls 5@nkosnkjku dks mDr izfrdj jkf'k vnk djs rFkk chek daiuh mDr izfrdj jkf'k izR;FkhZ la[;k 6 okgu pkyd vFkok izR;FkhZ la[;k 7 okgu Lokeh ls la;qDr o i`Fkd&i`Fkd :i ls olwy djus dh vf/kdkjh gksxhA vihyk/khu fu.kZ; dh 'ks"k 'krsZa ;Fkkor jgsaxhA fo}ku vf/kdj.k dk vfHkys[k ;fn bl U;k;ky; dks izkIr gks j[kk gS] rks bl vkns'k dh izfr ds lkFk ykSVk;k tkosA MANISH SAINI /Res. (CHANDRA PRAKASH SHRIMALI),J