Chennai: Observing that legal profession is witnessing cut throat competition, Madras high court has directed authorities to constitute an expert committee under Justice K. Chandru, retired judge of the Madras high court, to suggest ways and means to halt duplication of insurance claims under the Motor Vehicles Accidents Act.
Justice P.N. Prakash said, “There is a dire need for an expert body to go into the entire jurisdiction, identify its pitfalls and suggest solutions to redress them to ensure the purity of the very jurisdiction. The victims deserve just compensation and they need the system to be cleansed for their sake. Hence Justice K Chandru has been appointed to head the expert body.”
The matter pertains to death of Mohan in motor accident took place on February 9, 2017. His son Kapilraj sought compensation for death of his father. Without meeting Kapilraj, advocate Murugan filed the petition before the small causes court seeking compensation for death of his father in the road accident. And, for death of Mohan three claim petitions filed in the court by different advocates. The matter came to light following a complaint from Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company before Kancheepuram police.
The judge said this court is satisfied that the allegedly tampered with FIR registered by Somangalalm police station, vakalats and claim petitions appear to have been forged. Hence, the judge ordered CB-CID probe against the accused persons, including those who may be guilty of forgery and fabrications. This court wanted to stop the unholy nexus between advocates in MCOP field and policemen, he said.
The judge noted that there has been rampant duplication of claims, apart from the three claims, which are the subject matter of this Criminal Original Petition.
The judge said, “This blood money by ambulance chasers has now taken the ugly form of a Frankenstein’s monster and I am afraid that, it may, at any time, devour the entire judicial system, before which, we have to press the alarm bell.”
Meanwhile, the judge said “advocate S. Thambi gave a representation to the registrar, court of small causes, Chennai, alleging that the bundles in 55 MCOP cases filed by him from 2012 to 2017 have gone missing. On a complaint from Registrar, Court of Small Causes, Chennai, High Court Police Station, registered case on June 7, 2017 against unknown accused and the investigation is pending. The judge has ordered transfer of the case to CB-CID.
