Mumbai Police have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against a 24-year-old man, Mihir Shah, who is alleged to have been driving a BMW car that fatally knocked down a woman in the Worli area.
It is to be noted that Mihir Shah is the son of Rajesh Shah, leader of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Kaveri Nakhwa (45), a resident of Worli Koliwada, was traveling with her husband Pradeep on Dr. Annie Besant Road when the luxury car, allegedly driven by Mihir Shah, collided with their two-wheeler around 5:30 am on Sunday, according to the police. The car dragged the woman for more than 2 km, a police official said. She was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
After the accident, the accused fled towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. He abandoned the car and his driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, near Kala Nagar in Bandra, and ran away, the official said.
Mihir’s father Rajesh Shah and Bidawat were later arrested by the Worli police on Sunday for allegedly helping Mihir escape after the accident, the official added. The car involved in the incident is owned by Rajesh Shah.
Search and Investigation
“As there was a possibility of Mihir Shah fleeing the country, the Mumbai Police issued an LOC against him on Sunday evening,” the official said. The police have launched a search for the accused and formed six teams to trace him.
Police suspect Mihir was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident, as he was seen at a bar in the Juhu area a few hours before the incident, the official said. The police have also found a bill of Rs 18,000 from the bar and are verifying it. CCTV footage of the bar is also being examined.
The two arrested persons will be produced before a local court later in the day. The accused have been booked under various sections, including 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to the police.
Official Statements
Regarding the incident, Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde stated on Sunday that the law is equal for everyone and no one would be spared. When asked if the man involved in the accident was the son of a Shiv Sena leader, the CM said, “The law is equal for all and the government views every case the same way. There will be no separate rule for this accident. Everything will be handled as per the law.”
“The police will not shield anyone. The Mumbai accident is unfortunate. I have instructed the police department to take strict action,” he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who represents the Worli assembly constituency, posted on X on Sunday, “I will not delve into the political affiliations of Mr. Shah, the accused in the hit-and-run case, but I hope the police act swiftly to apprehend him and bring him to justice. I trust there will be no political refuge provided by the regime.”
