Court Orders Attachment of Buses in 1989 Accident Case

March 14, 2026

A court in Faridkot has ordered the attachment of buses linked to a transport company owned by a sitting MLA in connection with a 37-year-old road accident compensation case dating back to 1989. The order came after the court rejected objections raised by the transport firm and directed authorities to seize two buses belonging to the company to recover the compensation amount.

The case has drawn attention because it involves a transport business associated with Gidderbaha MLA Hardeep Singh Dhillon and his brother Sandeep Singh Dhillon, whose company was named in the original compensation award.

The court also instructed the police to assist the bailiff in carrying out the attachment of the buses if they enter the jurisdiction of Faridkot district.

Background of the 1989 Accident

The legal dispute traces its origins to April 16, 1989, when a fatal road accident claimed the life of Mukhtiar Chand, a resident of Muktsar district. The victim’s family subsequently filed a claim petition before the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) in Faridkot seeking compensation.

In June 1992, the tribunal ruled in favour of the victim’s family and directed the driver and the owner of the offending bus—operated by M/s Deep Bus Service Private Limited of Gidderbaha—to pay compensation of ₹1.08 lakh along with 12 per cent annual interest.

However, the compensation amount was never fully paid, which led to prolonged legal proceedings spanning several decades.

High Court Enhanced Compensation

The bus owner later challenged the tribunal’s order in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. After years of legal proceedings, the High Court dismissed the appeal in March 2016 and accepted the cross-objections filed by the victim’s family.

The High Court also enhanced the compensation amount to ₹3.31 lakh, increasing the financial liability on the transport company.

Despite the court ruling, the payment remained unresolved, prompting the victim’s family to pursue further legal action to enforce the judgment.

Objections by Transport Company Rejected

During execution proceedings initiated in 2024, the transport company attempted to contest the recovery process. It argued that the entity named in the original award was different from the firm currently operating under the name M/s New Deep Bus Service, claiming the order could not be enforced against it.

However, the court observed that the companies—M/s Deep Bus Service Private Limited, M/s New Deep Bus Service (Registered), and M/s New Deep Bus Service Private Limited—appeared to be the same business operating under different legal structures but controlled by the same group.

The court dismissed the objections, stating they seemed frivolous and intended to delay execution of a judgment that had already been upheld by the High Court.

Order for Attachment of Buses

Following the rejection of the company’s objections, the court ordered the issuance of warrants of attachment against any two buses owned by the transport entities linked to the MLA’s family business.

The court further directed the Station House Officer (SHO) of Faridkot police station to provide police personnel to assist the bailiff in attaching the buses if they are found operating within the district’s jurisdiction.

The attachment of the buses is intended to enforce the compensation payment awarded to the victim’s family after decades of litigation.

Case Highlights Long Legal Battle

The case highlights the long delays that can occur in accident compensation disputes in India. Although the tribunal ruling came in 1992, the enforcement process continued for decades due to appeals and procedural challenges.

With the latest court order, authorities are now expected to proceed with the attachment of the buses, potentially bringing closure to a legal battle that has stretched for nearly four decades