Mumbai Hit-And-Run Case: Police Nab Absconding Accused Mihir Shah, Mother And Sister Also Detained

BMW hit-and-run case: Mumbai Police arrested Mihir Shah, the prime suspect in the deadly hit-and-run case in Worli. Shah's mother and sister were also detained, along with 12 individuals accused of aiding his escape.

The Mumbai Police have arrested Mihir Shah, the primary accused in the BMW hit-and-run case that occurred in Worli. Shah, 24, had been on the run since the incident which claimed the life of 45-year-old Kaveri Nakhwa and left her husband Pradeep injured. Alongside Shah, his mother and sister have also been detained. Twelve individuals have been detained by the Crime Branch for allegedly aiding Shah in his escape. 

Mumbai police formed 11 teams and enlisted the Crime Branch to capture Mihir Shah. A Look Out Circular (LOC) was also issued against him.

Notably, Mihir Shah’s father, Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah, and their family driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, who were earlier arrested, were produced in a Mumbai court on Monday. They were remanded in 14-day judicial custody and one-day police custody, respectively. Rajesh Shah was later granted bail, while Bidawat’s police custody was extended until July 11.

BMW Hit-And-Run Case: Bidawat Drove Car Over Victim After She Was Dragged By Mihir

According to police officials, the investigation revealed that Kaveri Nakhwa was struck and fatally injured by Rajrishi Bidawat, who was in the car with Shah. It was Mihir Shah who initially dragged Nakhwa, and as they fled, she was subsequently run over again by Bidawat just before the Bandra Worli Sea Link (BWSL), news agency PTI reported.

An official source told PTI, “Mihir Shah’s father, Rajesh Shah, a Shiv Sena leader from Palghar, played an active role in attempting to secure his son’s escape and had even planned to tow away the vehicle involved in the incident.”

CCTV footage presented in court showed the appalling sequence of events. The footage captured Kaveri Nakhwa being dragged for 1.5 kilometres by the luxury car, followed by Shah and Bidawat pulling her off the bonnet, placing her on the road, and then reversing over her, as per PTI's report.

After the incident, Shah and Bidawat’s vehicle stalled near Kala Nagar. Mihir Shah contacted his father using Bidawat’s phone. Rajesh Shah arrived in a Mercedes, instructed his son to flee, and then attempted to manage the situation. Despite these efforts, police, alerted by Pradeep Nakhwa and an eyewitness, apprehended Rajesh Shah and Bidawat at the scene.

Mihir Shah was reportedly partying with friends in Juhu before the incident. The police have recovered a bar bill amounting to Rs 18,000 and are examining CCTV footage from the bar.

Rajesh Shah has been booked for providing misinformation and attempting to destroy evidence. He, along with Bidawat, was produced in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Sewree) SP Bhosale and remanded to judicial custody. Rajesh Shah was later granted bail.

BMW Hit-And-Run Case: Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Assures 'No Immunity' For Accused Shiv Sena Leader's Son

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has taken a firm stance on the case. “No one, whether rich, influential, or the offspring of bureaucrats or ministers, affiliated with any party, will have immunity as long as I am the chief minister,” he stated. He has instructed the police to handle such incidents with utmost seriousness and to ensure that justice is served. 

“The lives of ordinary citizens are precious to us. We are implementing stricter laws with harsher penalties for hit-and-run offenders,” Shinde added.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, representing the Worli assembly constituency, expressed hope that the police will act swiftly to bring the accused to justice. “Hopefully there will be no political refuge by the regime,” he stated in a post on X.