Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case: Mihir Shah arrested

Mihir Shah, the 24-year-old son of Maharashtra’s ruling Shiv Sena functionary Rajesh Shah, was arrested on Tuesday two days after the former allegedly crashed his BMW car into a scooter in Mumbai’s Worli, injuring the rider Pradeep Nakhawa, 50, and killing his wife Kaveri, 45, who was riding pillion, people aware of the matter said.

The arrest came a day after a metropolitan magistrate granted Rajesh Shah bail on Monday. Investigators said the father was involved in a cover-up to protect his son.

Mihir Shah allegedly dragged Kaveri after ramming into the two-wheeler. Kaveri was stuck between the tyre and bumper for around 2.5 kilometres. Thereafter, Mihir Shah’s driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, took over the wheel and reversed the vehicle. Bidawat allegedly drove ahead and ran over her once again. Bidawat was arrested but Mihir Shah remained at large for two days.

Police said Bidawat called Rajesh Shah to inform him about the accident. Rajesh Shah told Bidawat to take responsibility for the accident and asked Mihir Shah to flee from the spot, they added. Police said after their SUV broke down near Kala Nagar, Mihir Shah fled the scene. By the time Rajesh Shah arrived in another BMW, he found the driver seated in the broken-down car, said a police officer.

Rajesh Shah then called a towing van but just as it was ready to haul the vehicle away, police reached the spot, tracking CCTV footage. He was arrested along with Bidawat.

Police said Mihir Shah went to a friend’s house in Goregaon, where he slept for some time and was later taken away to Borivali by his sister Pooja.

Police formed 14 teams to look for Mihir Shah and collect other evidence. They recorded statements of his three friends who accompanied him to the Juhu restaurant on Sunday evening where they ran up a bill of ₹18,700. Police said Rajesh Shah was continuously in touch with Mihir Shah.

Metropolitan magistrate Suhas Bhosale, who granted Rajesh Shah bail, observed that the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 105) applied in the case did not apply to him. He added other sections that applied in the case (238 for causing the disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita attracted far lesser punishment.

Public prosecutor Bharati Bhosale told the court that it was a heinous crime. “The deceased is a fisherwoman who had gone to bring fish from Sassoon Dock in Colaba with her husband, Pradeep. While returning, the BMW car hit their two-wheeler from behind.”

She said Nakhawa managed to jump off the bonnet of the car but Kaveri’s clothes became entangled in the vehicle. Nakhawa shouted, asking the car driver to stop but he kept on speeding and fled the spot. He then took a taxi and tried to chase the vehicle in vain before approaching the police.

Bhosale said the woman was dragged and that they found Mihir Shah was driving the vehicle and he did not help, nor did he stop the vehicle after hitting the scooter and instead dragged the woman. She added Mihir Shah stopped the car and when Bidawat took over the wheel, he ran over the woman again.