After evading arrest for over 72 hours, Mihir Shah, main accused in the Mumbai hit-and-run case and 24-year-old son of Shiv Sena Palghar leader Rajesh Shah, has been nabbed on Tuesday.
Mihir Shah was arrested by Mumbai Police from Shahpur in Thane and was brought to the Worli police station. Along with him, 12 others have been apprehended.
However, gory details from the Mumbai hit-and-run case continue to pour in as probe in the case intensifies.
In the accident on Sunday morning, a woman was dragged for 1.5 kilometres by a car which was allegedly driven by Mihir Shah at Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Sunday around 5:25 am.
During the investigation, police found out that 45-year-old Kaveri Nakhwa, who was on a two-wheeler with her husband Pradeep Nakhwa (50), was hit by a speeding BMW allegedly driven by Mihir Shah, the son of Shiv Sena’s leader Rajesh Shah.
Rajesh Shah was previously the district head for Palghar, representing the undivided Shiv Sena. Currently, he is with the Shinde Sena.
A CCTV footage of the entire incident was submitted to the Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Sewri, Mumbai.
The CCTV, scrutinised by the Mumbai Police, showed that Mihir Shah switched seats to make his driver, Rajrishi Rajendrasingh Bidawat, take the wheel of the car. The cops said, that to further “mislead” the investigation, the driver then “reversed” the car and mowed down the woman for the second time before escaping from the site.
Switch seats to push the blame: Investigation step-by-step reveals how it happened?
CCTV camera footage produced before the court by the Mumbai Police showed Mihir Shah and Rajrishi Bidawat dragging the woman from Worli and stopping just before Bandra–Worli Sea Link (BWSL).
After dragging the woman for about 1.5 km, the duo removed the woman who got entangled in the tyre of the vehicle.
Public Prosecutor Bharti Bhosale told the court that the woman got stuck between the tyre and the bumper of the car. She was dragged for one-and-a-half kilometres, before the accused stopped the vehicle and removed her.
Rajrishi Bidawat, then, took the driver’s seat and mowed the woman for the second time while reversing the car.
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Mihir Shah, Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case accused, arrested over 72 hours after accident
Police said both Mihir Shah and Rajrishi Bidawat then fled towards Kala Nagar where the vehicle’s engine stalled and the car broke down.
Duo tempered vehicle’s registration number & stickers
Police told the Metropolitan Magistrate Suhas Bhosale that Mihir Shah and Rajrishi Bidawat tried to tamper with the vehicle’s registration number and other stickers that were pasted on the car.
What happened next?
Mihir Shah then took Rajrishi Bidawat’s phone to call his father, Rajesh Shah, and told him about the accident as well as the car stalling.
A report by PTI quoted an unnamed official as saying that Rajesh Shah rushed to the spot in a Mercedes, had a hurried conversation with his son Mihir Shah and directed him to escape.
Rajesh Shah then planned to tow the BMW from there, the official further said.
A police officer said that after reaching the spot, Rajesh Shah told Rajrishi Bidawat had called for a tow vehicle, but cops reached before that and nabbed both of them.
“The driver confessed and told us that Rajesh Shah had directed him to take responsibility,” the police officer further said.
Who informed police about the accident?
Pradip Nakhwa, Kaveri’s husband and an eyewitness had alerted police after which a patrolling team reached Kala Nagar and arrested Rajesh Shah and Rajrishi Bidawat.
Mumbai Police had formed 11 teams and also had roped in the Crime Branch to arrest Mihir Shah. Also, a Lookout Circular (LOC) has been issued to prevent him from leaving India.
Mumbai drink and drive case?
As per the investigators, CCTV footage showed Mihir Shah partied with three other friends at Voice Global Tapas Bar in Juhu till the early hours of Sunday, after which he and Rajrishi Bidawat proceeded towards south Mumbai.
The police have recovered the bar bill of Rs 18,000.
The Maharashtra excise department has issued a show cause notice to Karan Shah, owner of Voice Global Tapas Bar, and asked him to stop internal operations. The department has asked the owner to appear for questioning, and until then, the establishment can serve food but not liquor.
Also, several of Mihir Shah’s friends whom he called up after the accident are being quizzed by the police.
With inputs from agencies
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