Mumbai BMW Hit-And-Run: Main Accused Arrested After 72 Hours

In a tragic incident, a speeding car crashed into a two-wheeler leading to the death of a female pillion rider and injuring her husband on July 7 in Mumbai's Worli. The main accused, who was on the run for over 72 hours, was arrested by the Worli Police on July 9 from an apartment in Virar, which is around 65 km from the Maharashtra capital. The BMW car was reportedly being driven by Mihir Shah, son of Shiv Sena politician Rajesh Shah, with the driver Rajrishi Bidawat in the passenger side. CCTV footage showed the woman being dragged for about 1.5 kilometres after the crash. Shah and Bidawat then switched seats, and she was mowed down a second time. 

According to reports, the crash happened when Mihir Shah was on the way home from a bar in Juhu. On the way, he insisted that he would drive and took the wheels from the driver. The 24-year-old had been missing since the accident while his father has been accused of allegedly helping him escape. Bidawat and Rajesh Shah have been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Rajesh Shah was later released on bail with a ₹15,000 bond.

Details of the accident

Reports further revealed that a 45-year-old woman, Kaveri Nakhwa, died in the incident while her husband was badly injured. They were fisherpeople from Mumbai's Worli Koliwada. When the BMW hit the couple's two-wheeler, the husband, Pradip Nakhwa managed to get out of the vehicle while his wife was dragged with the vehicle for about 1.5 kilometres. CCTV footage showed Mihir Shah and Bidawat pulling the woman off the bonnet, placing her on the road and then mowing her down again while reversing the BMW.

Reportedly, the incident happened when the two-wheeler was passing through Atria Mall in Worli from Mazagaon Docks. At Annie Besant Road in Mumbai, a BMW crashed into the two-wheeler around 5:25 to 5:30 am. The accused fled the spot abandoning their car and heading to Kala Nagar in Bandra East. The police had formed several teams to arrest Shah and a Look Out Circular (LOC) had also been put out. According to police sources who spoke to NDTV, Shah, his mother, and his sister were believed to have gone underground together after the accident.

Police in action; investigation still going on

Police have detained Rajesh Shah whose son was allegedly the driver of the BMW. The hit-and-run case has been filed under the new criminal law BNS and Motor Vehicles Act. Expressing anguish, Maharashtra's Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said, "The Mumbai hit-and-run case that has happened is very unfortunate. I had a conversation with the police. Whoever is guilty, action will be taken against them...We treat everyone equally. Whatever happens will be legal."

A similar incident was reported in May in Pune

Just recently, a similar hit-and-run case went viral. A minor driving a Porsche under the influence of alcohol hit the motorcycle ridden by two IT professionals of Madhya Pradesh. The incident happened in May in Kalyani Nagar of Pune. The minor accused was out on bail shortly and was asked to write a 300-word essay on road safety.

The court also ordered the bail of the minor saying that under the Juvenile Justice Board’s (JJB) detaining a minor in the observational home is illegal. However, this led to an outcry in the country which changed the decision of the authorities and took the minor into custody.