Mumbai:

Amid a search for the son of a Shiv Sena leader over a fatal BMW crash in Mumbai yesterday, CCTV footage showing the key accused has gone viral.

The video shows Mihir Shah leaving a pub in a Mercedes car with four of his friends. The cops said he changed the car later and was driving the BMW while his driver was in the passenger seat.

The speeding BMW hit a scooter in Worli early Sunday morning, killing a woman who was riding pillion with her husband, police said. Mihir was allegedly drunk at that time.

His father, Rajesh Shah – a leader of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s party in Palghar, and the BMW’s driver Rajrishi Bidawat were arrested last evening for not cooperating with the cops. The BMW was registered in Rajesh Shah’s name.

Mihir remains elusive with cops suspecting that his girlfriend may have helped hide him. They are questioning her too while a lookout notice has been issued for him.

The victim was identified as Kaveri Nakhwa, 45, who was travelling to Worli Koliwada from Mazagaon Docks with her husband, Pradip, when their scooter met with the accident.

The two were thrown in the air and crashed on the bonnet of the car. While Pradip managed to jump off the bonnet, the car dragged his wife about 100 metres in an attempt to escape. She was rushed to a hospital but was declared brought dead.

Mihir and the driver fled the scene and abandoned the car at Kala Nagar, Bandra East before parting ways in separate autos, police said. The driver who went to Borivali was arrested in the evening while four police teams are still looking for Mihir.

According to police sources, the accused drank at a bar in Juhu the night before the crash and went for a long drive after that. As they reached Worli, Mihir insisted on driving and the accident occurred soon after he took the wheels.

Cops have filed a case under the new criminal code, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving, and destruction of evidence, and also invoked provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde has assured action and said everyone is equal before the law.

The incident comes months after a similar hit-and-run case involving a Porsche car and the minor son of an influential realtor left two young engineers dead in Pune. The boy was found drunk at the time of the incident. His parents and grandfather were arrested for allegedly trying to destroy evidence.

Mumbai:

The speeding BMW that hit a scooter in Mumbai’s Worli this morning, leading to a woman’s death, was being driven by the 24-year-old son of a senior leader of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, police have said. Police also suspects that Mihir Shah, who is on the run, was drunk at the time of the incident. His blood test report is awaited. 

The accused in the son of Rajesh Shah, deputy leader of the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra’s Palghar district. The politician and his driver, Rajendra Singh Bijawat, are now in police custody. A case has been registered under the new criminal code Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita under sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving and destruction of evidence, among others. Provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act have also been invoked.  

The vehicle is registered in Mihir Shah’s name. At the time of the accident, police said, the Sena leader’s son and their driver were in the luxury car. According to police sources, Mihir Shah drank at a bar in Juhu last night. On his way home, he asked the driver to take him a long drive. The car came to Worli and then Mihir insisted that he would drive. Soon after he took the wheel, the speeding BMW hit a scooter. 

On the scooter were Kaveri Nakva and her husband Pradik Nakva, residents of Worli’s Koliwada area. The fish-seller couple went to Sassoon Dock daily to fetch fish. They were on their way back, when the BMW crashed into their two-wheeler. The two were thrown into the air and crashed on the bonnet of the SUV. As the car kept speeding, Kaveri Nakva was run over. The car fled the spot and the woman was taken to a hospital, where she was declared dead. Her husband, Pradik, suffered minor injuries.  

Police sources have said Mihir called his father and told him about the crash. His phone has been off since then. Four police teams are looking for him.

The police’s investigation has also revealed attempts to destroy evidence. The car’s windshield has a Shiv Sena sticker, which has been scratched, apparently to conceal the vehicle’s link with the Sena leader. One of the car’s number plates was also removed after the accident, but police scanned the CCTV footage of the area to zero in on the vehicle.

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Sena Leader Eknath Shinde has termed the incident “unfortunate” and assured action. “Law will take its own course, everyone is equal before law. I have spoken to the police and strict action will be taken,” he said.

The incident comes months after a similar case of drink-driving left two 24-year-old engineers dead in Pune. The minor accused in the Pune crash was speeding a Porsche car after a round of drinking. The teen’s father, a prominent realtor, his mother and his grandfather were arrested in the aftermath of the accident for allegedly attempting to destroy evidence.