A Mumbai court on Thursday sent Shiv Sena politician Rajesh Shah's family driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, an accused in the Mumbai's hit-and-run case, to 14-day judicial custody. The order came after his police custody ended.


The driver was produced at Sewree court in Mumbai before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S P Bhosle.


Public prosecutors Ravindra Patil and Bharti Bhosle sought further extension of the driver’s custody, stating that the probe in the high-profile case was still underway.


According to the police, the accused driver was sitting in the BMW with key accused Mihir Shah, at the time of the crash on Sunday, news agency PTI reported.


Police also told the court that Mihir Shah had picked up four beer cans from a Malad bar, hours before the accident, and added that the driver’s custody  was needed to recover the cans.


The 24-year-old accused Shah was allegedly driving his BMW car, when he rammed it into a scooter in Mumbai's Worli area. A woman, who was riding pillion was killed in the accident, leaving her husband injured.


At the instruction of Rajesh Shah, a Shiv Sena leader from Palgarh, Bidawat had swapped the driver's seat with Mihir Shah after the crash, police said. 


During Bidawat's remand hearing, police told the court that both accused had confessed to their involvement during custodial interrogation.


"Mihir Shah and Bidawat were questioned separately and again face-to-face. They confessed to committing the crime," police said.


The court was also told that the police took Mihir Shah and Bidawat to the accident spot for further investigation.


"It has also come to light that Mihir Shah had driven the car by himself from Girgaon to the entry point of the sea link at Worli, where the incident took place," police said.


The police also said that the BMW car’s registration number plate was yet to be recovered. 


Defence Argued Bidwat's Custody Not Required


Defence advocates Sudhir Bhardwaj and Ayush Pasbola opposed the plea for Bidawat's remand extension, arguing his custody was not required as the investigation in the case was over. 


"Since the first remand, the police have been saying that they need to recover the car’s number plate and they cannot seek an extension in custody on the same ground," the defence submitted.


Pasbola said that the police had already recorded Bidawat's statements after the recovery of the beer cans and that his custody was not required for it.


After hearing both sides, the Mumbai court remanded the accused driver to 14-day judicial custody.


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