Mihir Shah, the son of Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah and the main accused in a BMW hit-and-run in Mumbai that killed a woman, remains missing as six police teams search for him. Amid investigations, a liquor bill of Rs 18,730 has surfaced from a bar in Juhu, where the 24-year-old was seen shortly before the crash. Mihir Shah’s father and his driver have been arrested for allegedly aiding his escape after the incident.
This case echoes a similar incident in Pune months earlier, where a speeding Porsche driven by a minor killed two 24-year-old engineers.
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The investigation reveals that Mihir Shah drank at a Juhu bar late Saturday night and was picked up by his driver in the BMW. At Worli, Mihir Shah reportedly insisted on driving and took over from the driver.
Kaveri Nakhava and her husband Pradeep Nakhava, Koliwada residents who sold fish for a living, were returning from Sassoon Dock when the BMW collided with their scooter. Kaveri Nakhava was run over and dragged by the BMW as it fled the scene. She was rushed to a hospital, where she was declared dead.
A case has been registered under new criminal laws for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving, and destruction of evidence, among other charges. The Motor Vehicles Act has also been invoked. The vehicle is registered in Mihir Shah’s name.
Police sources indicate that Mihir Shah called his father to report the crash before switching off his phone. The victim’s husband, Pradeep, broke down before the media, expressing despair over his loss and the power dynamics at play, fearing justice may not be served.
Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde stated that the law applies equally to everyone and assured that strict action would be taken. “The law is equal for all and the government sees every case in the same way. There will be no separate rule for this accident. Everything will be done as per the law… The police will not shield anyone. The Mumbai accident is unfortunate. I have spoken to the police department to take strict action,” said the Chief Minister.