Justice on Wheels on your doorsteps...

‘Justice on wheels’ has came as a boon for hundreds of litigants thronging courtrooms since years for petty disputes. The initiative, started a couple of years ago, is a ‘mobile legal service-cum-lok adalat van’ that conducts legal awareness camps and delivers quick justice by speedy hearings on pending cases.

Principal district and sessions judge Anant Badar flagged off the mobile lok adalat van in the city on Monday. On the first day, the ‘court on wheels’ settled as many as 161 cases at Shivajinagar, Pune Cantonment Court, Khadki Cantonment Court and Pimpri Court.

The mobile court was inaugurated as part of legal awareness campaign of Pune District Legal Services Authority in association with Pune Bar Association. The legal literacy chariot and mobile court will traverse across the district between July 8-31 to settle disputes which can be settled through compromise.

Addressing a press conference, Additional sessions judge SV Mane said, “The van’s interior resembles a court room. It will visit about 25 villages in the district and hear cases on the doorstep of petitioners. The van will take a judicial panel comprising judge or former judge, law students and two senior lawyers. This will save the time and trouble to litigants. Legal awareness will also be spread among citizens.”

On Monday, being its first day, the mobile court visited Shivajinagar Court, Pune Cantonment Court, Khadki Cantonment Court and Pimpri Court.

Pune district legal services authority secretary RK Malabade said, “Twenty-three cases were put up before the Shivajinagar court of which 17 were settled. Of 73 cases presented from Pune Cantonment Court, 16 were resolved. Thirty cases out of 36 cases at Khadki Cantonment Court were settled and all 97 matters put before the court in Pimpri court were settled. Most cases pertained to cheque bounce incidents, motor accident claims and other domestic violence issues.”

On the first day, Rs15,000 compoundable penalty was recovered from Pune cantonment court by Pune Cantonment Board for illegal eateries. In motor accident and cheque bounce cases, around Rs4.20 crore have been awarded, officials said.

Today’s itinerary
The mobile van will visit Pimpri, Saswad, Malegaon, Bhigwan, Daund, Shirur, Chakan, Khed, Junnar, Bhor and Wadgaon areas on Tuesday.

...charts success route

Justice smiled on 40-year-old Kothrud resident Parinita Kher after three years. On Monday, she was awarded Rs21.50 lakh compensation from HDFC Ergo by the ‘Justice on Wheels’ van in a road accident case.

The banker had lost her husband in a road accident involving their car and a truck at Sinnar in 2010 and had filed a case before the Motor Accident Tribunal Court for claims from the truck driver and insurance company.

The accident took place when they were returning from Nashik to Pune. Her husband Prashant died, while she and her father suffered serious injuries.

The opportunity to settle pending cases in a fast-track court has given relief to hundreds of families.

“I think the fast-track manner of resolving cases is better than facing the painful and long-drawn court battles. It is emotionally traumatic for the victim who had just recovered from an accident to recollect the entire incident repeatedly to make the case strong,” she said.

In another rare case settled on Monday, 60-year-old Dipak Pimpale received Rs33,000 as vehicle damage compensation from ICICI Lombard. His autorickshaw was damaged after being hit by an private car in an accident in 2009. Pimpale said, “The car hit my vehicle and I had to pay Rs40,000 towards repairs. I was struggling to get insurance claims for four years.”

In one of the highest money related disputes, Bandra-based Bhaguniya Agro Private Limited had filed a cheque bounce case against Chetana Ilpate alias Surabhi Mishra (51) from Baner and director of Madhur Investor over land dispute issue.

Chetana alias Surabhi’s cheque had bounced due to stop payment instruction. After the hearing on Monday, both parties settled the matter and Chetana was directed to pay Rs3 crore to Bhaguniya along with rate of interest.

Not just financial disputes, but the mobile justice van helped to resolve family disputes.

Radha Naik (30) from Hadapsar had got married to Krishna from Narayangaon (both names changed) 11 years ago. Tired of her husband’s habitual drinking, Radha had moved the court for divorce and getting the custody of her son. After counselling by JMFC VV Muglikar and panel bench headed by Ramesh Gawali, PBA president Rajendra Umap, the couple decided to live together.