PANAJI
The owner of the killer Mercedes that mowed down three lives at the Banastarim bridge in early August offered to deposit Rs 2-crore in order to compensate the victims of the accident before the Bombay High Court at Goa after a ‘request’ from the division bench of the High Court – money that will also be used to cover the medical expenses of those needing continuous treatment.
“Despite being conscious that this is not the issue involved in the present petition, we inquired with the learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner whether the petitioner and her husband would, without prejudice to their rights and contentions and further, without in any manner prejudicing their rights to defend themselves, offer some compensation to the victims of the accident… based on instructions, [he] responded that the petitioner and her husband, without prejudice, would deposit an amount of Rs 2 crore in this Court within two weeks from today,” the Bombay High Court recorded in its order passed on Wednesday.
Owner of the Mercedes, Meghana Sinai Sawardekar had approached the High Court through a friend, seeking to quash the summons that were issued by the Mardol Police calling on her to join the investigation.
The High Court ordered that of the money that is deposited Rs 50 lakh be given to the surviving members of the Phadte family, another Rs 50 lakh to the surviving members of the family of Arup Karmakar all of whom perished in the accident while Rs 25 lakh would be paid to those injured in the accident.
“The balance amount of Rs 25 lakh will remain deposited in this Court for the time being. This amount should be invested in a nationalised bank by the Registry,” the High Court ordered while also taking on record the statement by the advocate for the petitioner that if Shankar Halarnkar requires specialised treatment then the petitioner and her husband will bear the necessary expenses for such treatment.
Earlier, the Prosecution told the High Court that the notices issued by the Mardol PS were rendered infructuous since the investigation has been transferred to the Crime Branch and in any case, the applicant had already recorded her statement before the magistrate.
“The investigation has now been transferred from the Mardol PS to the Crime Branch Police Station. The petitioner’s statement has also been recorded under Section 164 of CrPC before the concerned Judicial Magistrate. The impugned notices are now rendered infructuous and there is no question of enforcing the same by Mardol PS,” the prosecution told the court.
“Considering the above development, we agree with Mr Bhobe that the impugned notices are rendered infructuous and that there is no question of keeping the same open,” the High Court also observed while posting the matter for September 6.
