Union of India Vs Chandu Lal Alias Chandu Lal Mali — Rajasthan HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

Union of India Vs Chandu Lal Alias Chandu Lal Mali — Rajasthan HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Dismissed

Issue for consideration

Whether the claim for compensation could be rejected merely because no railway ticket was physically found on the deceased, despite evidence that he had purchased a ticket and was a bona fide passenger — and consequently whether the Railway Claims Tribunal's award was sustainable.

Court's answer

Through his evidence, the father of the deceased (Chandu Lal) proved that at the time of the untoward incident the deceased was travelling after purchasing a railway ticket, and his testimony was not shaken in cross-examination.

Ratio / Principle

The witness examined on behalf of the Railway administration, enquiry officer Shri Siyaram Meena, admitted that the death occurred due to a fall from train no. 14802 and that no railway ticket was found on the deceased during the enquiry.

Key takeaways

Union of India itself admitted that the death of the deceased occurred in the said untoward railway incident.ratio¶27
It is not appropriate to reject the claim merely on the ground that the railway ticket was not physically found; the learned Tribunal adopted the same view.ratio¶27
From the foregoing discussion it is clear that the impugned decision is fully in accordance with facts and law; it deserves to be affirmed and the appeal deserves to be dismissed.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Railway Claims Tribunal Act, 1987 — S. 23 — Appeal by Union of India against award dated 19-10-2023 of Railway Claims Tribunal, Jaipur Bench in OA-II-194/2019 granting claimants (parents of deceased Om Prakash) Rs. 8,00,000/- with 9% interest for death in an untoward railway incident — Union contended the deceased was not a bona fide passenger and no railway ticket was found on him — Court, placing reliance on Union of India v. Rina Devi, (2019) 3 SCC 572 (para 17.4), held that mere non-recovery of a ticket does not negative bona fide passenger status where the claimant's evidence proves purchase of a ticket and remains unshaken in cross-examination — father's evidence proved the deceased travelled on a purchased ticket; the Railway's enquiry officer Shri Siyaram Meena admitted death by fall from train no. 14802 and non-recovery of any ticket; Union of India itself admitted the death occurred in the untoward incident — impugned award held fully in accordance with facts and law; appeal dismissed and award affirmed; pending applications, if any, also dismissed.

[2026:RJ-JP:11769]

HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE FOR RAJASTHAN BENCH AT JAIPUR

S.B. Civil Miscellaneous Appeal No. 430/2024

Union Of India, Through General Manager, Northern Western Railway, Jaipur.

----Appellant

Versus

Chandu Lal Alias Chandu Lal Mali, Aged About 70 Years, S/o Shri Hemaram, Resident Of Bera Maliyon Ka Ria, Village And Post Gudia, Sabalpura, Raipur, District Pali (Rajasthan).

Smt. Maina Devi W/o Shri Chandu Lal Alias Chandu Lal Mali, Aged About 67 Years, Resident Of Bera Maliyon Ka Ria, Village And Post Gudia, Sabalpura, Raipur, District Pali (Rajasthan).

----Respondents

For Appellant(s) : Mr. B L Dhakar, Adv. For Respondent(s) : Mr. Raghav Sharma, Adv. for Mr. Ajay Shukla, Adv.

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE UMA SHANKER VYAS

Judgment / Order

19/03/2026

vihykFkhZ&Hkkjr la?k }kjk ;g flfoy fofo/k vihy jsyos nkok vf/kdj.k vf/kfu;e] 1987 ¼ftls vkxs vf/kfu;e] 1987 dgk tk,xk½ dh /kkjk 23 ds rgr fo}ku jsyos nkok vf/kdj.k] t;iqj ihB }kjk izdj.k la[;k&OA-II-194/2019 esa ikfjr fu.kZ; o vokMZ fnukafdr 19-10-2023 ls O;fFkr gksdj izLrqr dh gS] ftlds ek/;e ls nkosnkjksa dks muds iq= vkseizdk'k dh dfFkr :i ls jsyos ;k=k ds nkSjku vuisf{kr jsy nq?kZVuk esa e`R;q gks tkus ls dqy 8]00]000@&:i;s dk izfrdj 09 izfr'kr C;kt lfgr fnyk;k x;kA

fo}ku vf/koDrk vihykFkhZ&Hkkjr la?k dk fuosnu gS fd e`rd ln~Hkkfod jsy ;k=h ugha Fkk] mlds 'ko ds ikl j[kh lkexzh esa ;k vU;Fkk

[CMA-430/2024]

[2026:RJ-JP:11769]

(2 of 3)

dksbZ jsy fVdV cjken ugha gqvk gS] vr% ,slh fLFkfr esa vihyk/khu fu.kZ; rF;ksa o fof/k ds vuq:i ugha gS] tks vikLr gksus ;ksX; gSA

fo}ku vf/koDrk izR;FkhZ&nkosnkjksa }kjk mijksDr rdksZa dk fojks/k djrs gq, fo}ku fopkj.k vf/kdj.k }kjk ikfjr vihyk/khu fu.kZ; dks fof/k lEer gksuk crkrs gq, vihy [kkfjt fd;s tkus dk fuosnu fd;kA

ekuuh; loksZPp U;k;ky; }kjk U;kf;d fu.kZ; Union of India Vs. Rina Devi (2019) 3 SCC 572 esa ;g O;oLFkk izfrikfnr dh x;h gS fd ;fn ekSf[kd lk{; ls nkosnkj dh vksj ls e`rd@vkgr dk ln~Hkkfod jsy ;k=h gksuk izekf.kr dj fn;k tkrk gS vkSj mlds [k.Mu esa jsy iz'kklu dh vksj ls dksbZ lk{; izLrqr ugha gqbZ gS rks ek= jsy fVdV HkkSfrd :i ls izkIr ugha gksus ds vk/kkj ij nkok [kkfjt ugha fd;k tk ldrkA mijksDr fu.kZ; dk iSjk la[;k 17-4 lqlaxr gS] tks fuEukuqlkj gS %&

"We thus hold that mere presence of a body on the Railway premises will not be conclusive to hold that injured or deceased was a bona fide passenger for which claim for compensation could be maintained. However, mere absence of ticket with such injured or deceased will not negative the claim that he was a bona fide passenger. Initial burden will be on the claimant which can be discharged by filing an affidavit of the relevant facts and burden will then shift on the Railways and the issue can be decided on the facts shown or the attending circumstances. This will have to be dealt with from case to case on the basis of facts found. The legal position in this regard will stand explained accordingly."

orZeku ekeys esa erd ds firk pUnwyky }kjk lk{; ds ek/;e ls ;g izekf.kr fd;k x;k gS fd bl vuisf{kr ?kVuk ds le; erd jsy fVdV [kjhndj ;k=k dj jgk FkkA mijksDr xokg ds dFkuksa dk [k.Mu izfrijh{kk esa ugha gqvk gSA jsy iz'kklu dh vksj ls ijhf{kr xokg tkap vf/kdkjh Jh fl;kjke eh.kk }kjk ;g Lohdkj fd;k x;k gS fd erd dh eR;q Vªsu uacj 14802 ls fxjus ds dkj.k gqbZ gS vkSj tkap ds nkSjku e`rd ls dksbZ jsy fVdV cjken ugha gqbZ gSA

[2026:RJ-JP:11769]

[CMA-430/2024]

(3 of 3)

erd dh eR;q mijksDr jsy nq?kZVuk esa gksuk Lo;a Hkkjr la?k dh vksj ls Lohdkj fd;k x;k gSA erd ds firk pUnwyky dh vksj ls viuh lk{; ds ek/;e ls ;g dFku fd;k gS fd erd jsy fVdV ysdj ;k=k dj jgk Fkk] ek= jsy fVdV HkkSfrd :i ls cjken ugha gksus ds vk/kkj ij nkok vLohdkj fd;k tkuk mfpr ugha gS vkSj ;gh vfHker fo}ku fopkj.k vf/kdj.k }kjk nsrs gq, nkok eatwj fd;k x;k gSA

mijksDr foospukuqlkj Li"V gS fd vihyk/khu fu.kZ; iw.kZr% rF;ksa o fof/k ds vuq:i gS] vr% mldh iqf"V gksus rFkk ;g vihy [kkfjt gksus ;ksX; gSA

ifj.kker% fopkj.k U;k;ky; }kjk ikfjr vihyk/khu fu.kZ; fnukad 19-10-2023 dh iqf"V djrs gq, vihykFkhZ&Hkkjr la?k dh vksj ls izLrqr ;g flfoy fofo/k vihy [kkfjt dh tkrh gSA

LFkxu vkosnu o vU; vkosnu] ;fn dksbZ yafcr gS] rks os Hkh mijksDrkuqlkj [kkfjt fd;s tkrs gSaA

(UMA SHANKER VYAS),J

Murari Lal Sharma /16