Shah Rukh Khan's employee finally gets justice 8 years after death: Rs 62.2 lakh compensation ordered by Bombay HC

Time of India

13-05-2025

The
Bombay High Court
has upheld a compensation of Rs 62.2 lakh to the family of
Charu Khandal
, an animator with
Shah Rukh Khan
's Red Chillies Entertainment, nearly eight years after the initial claim was filed. Khandal had suffered life-altering spinal injuries in a 2012
hit-and-run accident
and remained paralyzed until her death in 2017.
As per
PTI
, the decision comes after the Motor Accidents Claim Tribunal (MACT) awarded compensation in November 2020, which was challenged by Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company. On May 9, 2024, a bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Advait Sethna dismissed the appeal, calling the compensation 'fair and reasonable' under the tragic circumstances of the case.
Tragic Turn After National Recognition
Khandal was a lead character animator and part of the team responsible for the VFX work on the 2011 Bollywood film Ra.One, a project that earned her a National Award. On March 24, 2012, she celebrated the victory with her sister Ritu and friend Vikrant Goyal. Hours later, the auto-rickshaw they were travelling in was struck by a speeding car in Mumbai's Oshiwara area.
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While Ritu sustained minor injuries, both Khandal and Goyal were critically hurt and slipped into comas. Though Khandal regained consciousness, she remained paralyzed from the neck down, requiring round-the-clock care until her death on January 17, 2017.
Court Rejects Insurer's Claims
The insurer contested the tribunal's order by arguing that Khandal's death was not directly related to the accident. They also pointed out alleged deficiencies in her medical documentation. However, the court found that her death was a result of complications due to quadriplegia, which stemmed from the accident. The court further observed that assessing each medical bill with mathematical precision would be excessive in a case dealing with prolonged suffering and death.
In rejecting the appeal, the bench stressed that compensation under the Motor Vehicles Act is meant to be a relief for victims and their families, not bound by rigid technicalities. The court noted that the family had spent around Rs 18–20 lakh on treatment and required full-time attendants and physiotherapy for Khandal over the years.
Khandal's personal life was equally affected. She had been in a relationship with Sagar Thacker, who also worked in the animation industry. He later shared his regret over not being with her at the time of the accident, revealing that she had wanted to continue exploring the city that night, but he had chosen to return home.
Despite her condition, Charu was reportedly making efforts to regain a sense of normalcy. With the help of assistive technology, she had regained her voice and was beginning to use computers again. Renowned scientist Prof. Prabhat Ranjan had been assisting her rehabilitation.
Support from Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan, upon learning of her accident, personally visited Khandal at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. According to her family, the actor not only spoke with her doctors but also spent time with her family, offering encouragement and expressing hope in her strength to recover.
The court described the case as a 'heart-wrenching and tragic saga' and emphasized that while no amount of money can replace a life, the law must aim to provide justice in the form of fair compensation. The judges stated: 'Perfect compensation is hardly possible, but fair compensation ought to be the norm. Each case has to be decided on its own facts.'
The High Court's affirmation of the Rs 62.2 lakh compensation offers closure to the family of Charu Khandal, whose contributions to Indian cinema were tragically overshadowed by the devastating consequences of that fateful night in 2012.