Panchkula, Aug. 8 -- In a major legal ruling, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) has dismissed a compensation claim of Rs.80 lakh filed by the family of a retired bank manager, concluding that the deceased was responsible for the accident. The tribunal found that the vehicle allegedly involved in the crash was "planted" later by petitioners and police in collusion with each.The claim petition was filed by the family of Pawan Kumar Singla, a 65-year-old retired chief manager from Punjab National Bank. Singla, a resident of Sector 12-A, died on March 1, 2024, after his car collided with a stationary tractor-trailer on the highway. According to the petition filed by his 64-year-old widow Aradhana and their three children, Singla's car collided with a tractor-trailer on the NH-1 Baldev Nagar flyover in Ambala. The family alleged the tractor-trailer was parked negligently on the extreme right lane with long, protruding cement poles and without any warning lights. They contended that a pole struck Singla's head, causing his immediate death. The claim was filed against the tractor-trailer's driver, owner, and insurer, who all denied the allegations. The tribunal, however, meticulously examined the evidence and witness testimonies, revealing significant discrepancies. The tribunal determined that the tractor-trailer was "clearly visible" to the deceased. The investigating officer (IO), ASI Angrej Singh, stated under cross-examination that the accident spot was well-lit with mercury lights and the road was wide enough for two heavy vehicles to pass simultaneously. This directly contradicted the family's claim of darkness and lack of visibility. The court concluded that Singla, despite having sufficient space to avoid the obstacle, was negligent in his driving by colliding with the stationary vehicle. Singla's brother, Om Parkash Gupta, who was in the car at the time of the accident, also provided inconsistent testimony. While he initially claimed darkness prevented his brother from seeing the poles, he later admitted that street lights were operational on the entire flyover and that the headlights of their car and other vehicles were on. The tribunal found that the FIR was lodged after 24 hours of the incident against an "unknown" tractor and driver. The court noted that if the driver of the tractor had indeed detached the trailer and fled, the eyewitness, Om Parkash Gupta, would have had sufficient time to note down the registration number. This delay and the inconsistent details led the tribunal to conclude that the tractor was not involved in the accident and was "planted later on by petitioners and police in collusion with each other". The tribunal stated that the petitioners "failed to prove that the accident took place due to wrong and negligent parking of the tractor trailer" and that there was "sufficient evidence on file to prove that said tractor was planted later on"....