A Mumbai court has remanded Mihir Shah, the prime accused in the BMW hit-and-run case, to 14-day judicial custody.
The acused was arrested on July 9, two days after he allegedly rammed his BMW into a two-wheeler, killing a woman identified as Kaveri Nakhwa (45) and injuring her husband, Pradeep, in Mumbai’s Worli area.
Shah was produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S P Bhosale at the end of his remand on July 16. The police sought an extension of his custody, stating that Shah had not yet provided information about those who harbored him while he was on the run.
During the hearing, the police informed the court that additional sections under the Motor Vehicles Act had been invoked because the BMW Shah was allegedly driving lacked valid insurance and a pollution under control (PUC) certificate. Relevant sections of the Act concerning the use of cars with tinted windows were also applied.
The police, represented by public prosecutors Ravindra Patil and Bharti Bhosle, noted that Shah had not disclosed the whereabouts of the car’s missing number plate. They argued that, given the seriousness of the offense, his custody should be extended. The prosecution also reported that the police had recovered beer cans purchased by Shah hours before the accident.
Defense attorneys Ayush Pasbola and Shudir Bhardwaj opposed the remand, arguing that the police had already recovered all necessary evidence and had recorded the statements of 27 witnesses. They contended that sufficient time had been given to the police to identify those Shah contacted while he was absconding.
After hearing both sides, the court remanded Shah to judicial custody.
Mihir Shah had fled the scene following the fatal crash. Police allege that his father, Rajesh Shah, a Shiv Sena politician from Palghar, actively assisted in his son’s escape and planned to tow away the offending vehicle. Rajesh Shah, also an accused in the case, has been granted bail. Their driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, who was allegedly involved in swapping seats with Mihir during the incident, is also in judicial custody.
