Kochouseph Chittilappilly has given poor compensation for Wonderla accident victim: HC

Justice Devan Ramachandran criticised Chittilappily for offering to pay the victim an amount of Rs 1 lakh as compensation to a man paralysed after an accident at Veegaland.

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The Kerala High Court on Thursday reprimanded businessman, activist, philanthropist and V-Guard CEO Kochouseph Chittilappilly for the inadequate compensation given to a Thrissur-native named Vijesh Vijayan, who allegedly became paralysed while using a ride at the amusement park Veega Land (now known as Wonderla).

Responding to a petition filed by Vijesh, the victim of the accident, which took place at the amusement park owned by Chittilappilly in 2002, Justice Devan Ramachandran criticised Chittilappily for offering to pay the victim an amount of Rs 1 lakh as compensation.

Vijesh had suffered an injury to the spinal cord while using a ride in the water pool at Veegaland. The injury was caused due to the pool’s low water level. In his petition, Vijesh had also alleged that doctors at the Metropolitan Hospital in Kochi, where he had been taken, had told his father that if he had been taken to the hospital immediately, he would not have suffered paralysis. However, the amusement park’s management had reportedly refused to take him to the hospital immediately after the incident.

Times of India reports that the Court orally asked why the globetrotting businessman is blind to the plight of Vijesh, who is unable to get up from his bed. This was an apparent reference to Chittilappilly’s widely publicised charitable and philanthropic acts. The Court further observed a person would get satisfaction from providing someone with aid only if they provided that aid with magnanimity. The court also warned that such magnanimity should not be practiced for the purpose of publicity.