Supreme Court bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and A.S. Chandurkar set aside Gujarat High Court order on Friday, reinstating the Rs 8 lakh compensation award to the parents of Maheshbhai.
The parents of Maheshbhai, a 38‑year‑old general‑class passenger, claimed Rs 8 lakh after their son died on 27 September 2017 following a sudden jerk on a train bound for Surat; they had to prove the ticket, handkerchief, wristwatch, comb and Rs 800–900 cash were lost.
The High Court had reversed the award, citing the absence of a ticket, but the Supreme Court found that the parents’ sworn testimony and the victim’s month‑long hospitalization proved his bona fide passenger status.
The bench noted that the Railways failed to check the passenger’s pockets. The investigation report was delayed until 17 May 2018, over seven months after the incident, thus undermining the High Court’s basis for reversal.
The Supreme Court ordered the Railways to pay the Rs 8 lakh award within thirty days, underscoring that a missing ticket cannot bar a legitimate claim and setting a precedent for future rail‑compensation cases.