Chennai: The executive chairman, Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority, Justice Satish K. Agnihotri, gave away Rs 1.76 crore to family members of an assistant general manager of a leading cellphone company in a car-lorry smash.
An agreement regarding the quantum of compensation was reached between family members and insurance firms at a Lok Adalat here on March 12.
According to petitioners, who included T. Deepan, son of the deceased, they received a message regarding the death of a close relative on November 23, 2009. Immediately, they informed the head of the family Thiagarajan, who was working as assistant general manager, Aircel. He rushed home and hired a taxi at midnight and proceeded to Perambalur. Thiagarajan was receiving a salary of Rs 24 lakh per annum.
When the car was near Villupuram, the driver lost control. The car rammed into a lorry going in the same direction. Thiagarajan died on the spot. Two other relatives, including wife T.Vijayarani, sustained grievous injuries. Counsel for petitioners, T.D.Vasu and K. Kuppusamy, said the trio filed a petition before a court in Perambalur. Later, it was transferred to small causes court in Chennai.
As the case was pending before the court for long, it was listed in Lok Adalat.
Insurance firms Royal Sundaram Insurance Company and General insurance company agreed to pay '1.76 crore for death of Thiagarajan.
The sum was disbursed to petitioners by Justice Satish K Agnihotri in the presence of Justice K.K. Sasidharan and Justice S. Vaidyanathan in Madras high court.
