Nepal Singh v. Upender Singh

Case Details & Bench

Court: High Court
Hon'ble Judges: Dr. Arijit Pasayat
P. Sathasivam
Judgment Date: 2008-07-07
Court Decision / Holding: Appeals partly allowed; the High Court’s order setting aside and remanding for fresh merits is set aside. The matter is remanded to the High Court for fresh determination on merits, with no order as to costs.
Final Disposition: Appeals partly allowed; remanded for fresh consideration on merits; no order as to costs.

Parties to the Case

Appellants / Petitioners

Nepal Singh

Respondents

Upender Singh

Legal Representation & Advocates

Counsels for Respondents

• Irshad Ahmad
• K.S. Rana

Case Synopsis & Summary

The Supreme Court judgment in Nepal Singh v. Upender Singh concerns a Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 accident-claim dispute arising from an award of compensation by the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT), Delhi, against the appellant Nepal Singh. The respondent Bhupinder claimed that he was injured in an accident involving a scooter, and the MACT awarded compensation with the appellant liable to indemnify. The appellant contends that his vehicle was not the offending vehicle and that the seizure memo recorded a different scooter number; he also produced a certificate from his employer indicating he was on duty at the relevant time. The High Court, on the basis that the investigating officer had inadvertently mentioned a wrong number in the seizure memo, dismissed the appeal and upheld the indemnity against the appellant. The Supreme Court, however, found that there was no material before the High Court to conclude that the investigating officer had inadvertently noted the wrong number. It held that the registration number of the appellant’s vehicle was DL 35 7420 and that the seized scooter bore DL 35 2472; a mere coincidence of the owner’s name did not prove involvement. Consequently, the appeals were partly allowed, the High Court’s order was set aside, and the matter was remanded for fresh merits, with no order as to costs.

Provisions of Law Cited

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

Submissions & Arguments

Contentions of Appellants / Petitioners

Appellant Nepal Singh contended that his scooter was not the vehicle involved in the accident. The seizure memo allegedly recorded a different scooter number; there was no material before the High Court to establish that the investigating officer inadvertently mentioned a wrong number. The certificate from the appellant’s employer indicated he was present at work at the relevant time, undermining claims that his vehicle caused the accident. The High Court’s reliance on surmise and conjecture to conclude misnumbering was unfounded, and the order warranted remand for a merits-based determination.

Contentions of Respondents

Respondent (the claimant) urged that the seizure memo showed a particular scooter number and that the appellant’s version should be rejected in light of the evidence suggesting the possibility of misnumbering. The authorities below held that the appellant indemnified the award; the High Court’s conclusion that the seizure memo’s wrong number was inadvertent was supported by the record assumptions, and the matter should be examined on merit during remand.

Extracted Judgment Text

Exact text extracted from official judgment records.

~ _>._ .l i > ## [2008] 10 S.C.R. 147 ## NEPAL SINGH A _v.-_ UPENDER SINGH (Civil Appeal Nos. 4217-4218 of 2008) • JULY 7, 2008 B [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT AND P. SATHASIVAM, JJ] --.. ~f . _Motor Vehicles Act, 1988_ - _Accident claim_ - _Claimant injured in an accident involving_ a _scooter_ - _Claim petition against appellant_ - _Appellant's case that his vehicle ·was not_ c _the offending vehicle and seizure memo showed different num-_ I _ber of scooter_ - _Order of courts below that appellant's. vehicle was involved in an accident and he would indemnify award_ - _Held: Not correct- It is not established that appellant's scooter was involved in an accident_ - _No material before High Court_ D ' _to conclude that investigating officer inadvertently mentioned wrong number_ - _In absence thereof, High Court should not have arrived at_ a _conclusion on mere surmises and conjectures_ - _Order of High Court set aside and matter remanded back to it._ ./' E It was respondent's case that he was injured in an acci_dent where scooter bearing No.DL 35 7420 was involved. Respondent filed claim petition against the appellant whose vehicle wa~ involved in the accident. Appellant contended that his vehicle was not offending veF hicle; that the seizure memo showed a different number of the scooter; and that at the relevant point of time he was npt driving the vehicle in question. The MACT gra.nted compensation and held that the appellant was to indemnify the award. High Court dismissed the appeal holding G that the investigating officer inadvertently mentioned a wrong number and the number of the scooter in the seizure memo by the investigating officer was erroneous. Hence the present appeals. 147 H _I f_ I .I [2008] 10 S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS 148 h c Partly ailowing the appeals, the Court ## A HELD: 1.1 The conclusions clearly show that the. vehicle owned by the appellant bear registration No. DL 35 7420 and same was not seized by the investigating officer. In fact, number of the seized scooter was DL 35 E)_, 2472. Merely because the name of the person from whom the scooter is seized is the same as that.of the appellant, that does ·not in any way establish that the scooter of appellant was involved in an accident. There was no material before U~e High Court to conclude that the investigatc ing officer inadvertently mentioned a wrong number. [Para 6] .[150-E & F] . 1.2 There was no effort made by the claimant-respondent to verify as to who is the registered owner of the scooter DL 35 2472, if any. In the absence of any material D to show that the wrong numb~r was noted by the investigating officer, the High Court should not have arrived at a c.onclusion on mere surmises and conjectures that the investigating officer inadvertently mentioned a wrong E[number. The approach ][of ][the High ][Court ][is ][clearly ][un-] sustainabte. In the circumstances, the order of the High Court·is·set aside and the matter is remanded to it for fresh consideratfon on merits. [Para 7] [150-G,H; 151-A] CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION >Civil AppearNos. F[4217-4218 ][of ][2008 ] ;..;_ j _J.._ .. ,_. _x_ . From the J.udgment/order dated 28/5/2007 of the High Court of Delhi at New Delhi in MAC App. No. 219/2007 Nepal Singh Appellant-In-Per.son. G lrshad.Ahmad and K.S. Rana for the Respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by . · .... Dr. ARIJIT PA5AYAT, J. 1.· Leave granted. _ . ' 'H·, 2. Challenge in these appeals is to the judgment of the c ''· )-. -..: NEPAL SINGH _v._ UPENDE~ SINGH . 149 [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, J) learned Single Judge of the Delhi High court dismissing the A MAC Appeal No.219/07 and order dismisstng the application for review. ## 3. Background facts in a nutshell are as follows: _>_ Respondent-Bhupinder filed a claim petition stating that B he was injured in an accident where scooter bearing No.DL 38 7420 was involved. According to the respondent the accident occurred on 2.8.1995 at 11.20 a.m. He sustained injuries. The Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal, Delhi allowed the petition and . granted compensation of Rs.57 ,635/- alorigwith 6% intere$t c thereon. Appellan,t was impleaded in the claim petition as the sole respondent. Stand of the appellant was that his vehicle was not offending vehicle and in any evei:!!J!e~was not driving the vehicle in question at the relevant point of time as claimed. He relied on certificate issued by his employer which clearly indi- · 0 cated that at the relevant point of time he. was working in the office and, therefore, the question of his vehicle causing the. accident while being driven by him does not arise. The certificate issued by the responsible officer clearly indicated thaJ the ·.· appellant who is Lower Division Clerk ~t the relevant point of time was present on his seat and worked for full day and he'had E not gone out. The Tribunal did not accept this stand and held· .. that the appellant would indemnify the award. · · Before the High Court the appellant had taken the stand that his vehicle was not involved in tt:1e accident. In fact the seiF zure memo shows a different number of the scooter. In the criminal court the evidence led clearly established that the scooter of the appellant was not involved in any accident. The High Court concluded that the investigating, officer inadvertently mentioned a wrong number and the number of the scooter i·n the seizure . G memo by the investigating officer is erroneous. 4. In support of the appeal,'the appellant who appeared in person contended that his vehicle had not caused any accident. In any event, the offending vehicle which was seized car- · tied different registration number· and there was no material . . , H • I 150 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2008] 10 S.C.R. A •. before theTribunal or !he High CourHo conclude that the inves',tigatirig officer ina~vertentlymentioned the wrong number. 5 .. Learned counsel for the respondent on the other hand supported the judgment of _the_ Tribunal and the High Court. The · relevant observations of-the High Court dismissing the appeal B of the appE;!llant read as. follows: c "In respect of the seizure memo Ex.PW1/7, it has to be ,noted that the scooter numbershown as seized is DL~3S· 2472. But, na_me of the person from whom the scooter is seized is that of the appellant. It is thus obvious that the investigating officer tias inadvertently mentioned a wrong number; D Appellant who is present in person and· is assisting his counsel has· been quesf.loned 0y me, whether he. possesses any other scooter. He replies in the negative; This reinforces the fact that the recording of the number of . the scooter in the seizure memo by the investigating offieer is erroneous." E E 6. The conclusions clearly shbw that the Vehicle owned by: the appellant bear registration No.DL 3$ 7420 and same was ' not seized by the investigating officer. In fact, number of the seized scooter was DL 3S 24 72. Merely because the name of the person from whom the scooter is seized is the same as that F . of-the appellant, that does not in any way establish that .the scooter of appellant was involved in an accident. There was n_o material before the High Court to conclude that the ·investigating officer inadvertently mentioned a wrong number. 7. There was· no effort made by the claimant-respondent G to verify as to whO- is the registered owner of the scooter DL 3S 2472, if any. In the absence of any material to show that the wrong number was noted by the investigating·officer, the High Court should not have arrived ata conclusion on mere surmises. and conjectures that the investigating officer inadvertently men- . H tioned a wrong number. The approach oft~e.t;iigh Court_isclear.ly· NEPAL SINGH _v._ UPENDER SINGH. 151 [DR. ARIJIT PASAYAT, JJ unsustainable. In the circumstances, we set aside the impugned A order of the High Court .and remand the matter to it for fresh · consideration on merits. 8. The appeals are altowed to the aforesaid ~xtent There will be no order as to costs. 8. Appears partly allqwed. N.J.