The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), Mumbai, has awarded compensation to five individuals who met with a serious bus accident in 2022. In separate orders, the tribunal granted compensation to each petitioner based on their individual monthly income and the severity of their injuries.
Abhijit Pujare, a resident of Vasai, suffered a major loss as he lost his leg and sustained multiple serious injuries in the accident. He was awarded compensation of Rs 83 lakh.
The judgment, delivered by MACT member S.B. Munde on May 8, 2025, comes as a major relief to Abhijit Pratap Pujare, a 34-year-old former Assistant Manager with Bulklogix Shipping Pvt. Ltd., who was rendered permanently disabled due to the incident.
On the morning of January 21, 2022, Pujare was travelling in a Tata motor bus (MH-03-CP-3715) operated by R.N. Cabs Pvt. Ltd. The bus was headed towards the Solapur Highway when, due to rash and negligent driving, the driver lost control and crashed into a roadside divider in Indapur, Pune district. The bus overturned, leaving Pujare with life-altering injuries.
He suffered an above-knee amputation of the right leg, degloving injuries on both hands, a head injury, multiple facial lacerations, and fractures. He was initially taken to a local hospital but was later admitted to Wockhardt Hospital in Mira Road, where he underwent multiple surgeries before being discharged on February 10, 2022.
In February 2022, Pujare and four others had filed a compensation claim under Section 166 of the Motor Vehicles Act. The bus was insured by United India Insurance Co. Ltd., but the insurer disputed the claim, arguing that the vehicle was covered under a “laid-up” policy that did not permit passenger travel at the time of the accident.
However, the tribunal rejected this argument, noting that the insurance policy had indeed been extended by the insurer until June 5, 2022, after accepting a laid-up premium during the COVID-19 pandemic. The court held that there was no breach of policy terms proven by the insurer and ruled that both the vehicle owner and the insurer were jointly and severally liable.
Along with Pujare, the following individuals were also awarded compensation:
• Santosh Gaikwad (35), a resident of Uran, was awarded Rs 18 lakh.
• Vishal Gaikwad (32), also from Uran, received Rs 9.79 lakh.
• Jyoti Vishal Gaikwad (31), another Uran resident, was awarded Rs 73,666.
• Taufiq Jidge (27), a resident of Govandi, was awarded Rs 81 lakh, as he too suffered a major injury that required amputation of his hand above the elbow.
