The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed the bail pleas of Mihir Shah, the prime accused in the infamous BMW hit-and-run case, and his driver, Rajrishi Bidawat.
Both had petitioned the court, alleging their arrests were unlawful and seeking immediate release.
Mihir Shah, 24, son of former Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah, was arrested on July 9, two days after allegedly ramming his BMW into a two-wheeler in Mumbai’s Worli area. The crash claimed the life of 45-year-old Kaveri Nakhwa and left her husband, Pradeep, injured. Bidawat, who was in the car at the time, was taken into custody the same day.
In their petitions, the duo argued that the police had failed to inform them of the grounds for their arrest at the time of detention, violating Section 50 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). This provision mandates that arrested individuals be informed of the reasons for their detention. They also claimed their further detention infringed upon their constitutional rights.
A division bench of Justices Bharati Dangre and Manjusha Deshpande, however, rejected the petitions with a simple ruling: “Both the petitions are dismissed.” Mihir Shah had also sought to nullify the remand orders passed by a local court, challenging the legality of his arrest.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to the horrifying details of the accident. Shah is accused of fleeing the scene after the crash, reportedly driving with Kaveri Nakhwa’s body lodged on the bonnet of his car for over 1.5 km before it became entangled in the wheels. Police reports allege Shah was intoxicated at the time of the incident.
Shah and Bidawat remain in judicial custody following the court’s decision. Meanwhile, Rajesh Shah, Mihir’s father, who was also arrested in connection with the case, was granted bail earlier.
This tragic case underscores the critical importance of adhering to traffic laws and has ignited public outrage over reckless driving and the consequences of impunity. The dismissal of the bail pleas sends a strong signal against attempts to evade accountability in such serious offenses.
