Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah’s son, Mihir Shah, was arrested on Tuesday, three days after his BMW collided with a couple’s bike in Mumbai, resulting in the death of a woman. 12 people, including Shah’s mother and two sisters, have been taken into custody.
A police official stated that Shah was arrested near Mumbai. A Mumbai court has extended the police custody of Rajesh Shah’s driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, until July 11.
Former home minister Anil Deshmukh questioned the delay in the arrest, pointing out that a blood sample needs to be taken within 5-6 hours to determine if the driver was intoxicated. He suggested there might have been an attempt to help Mihir avoid the blood test. Six police teams were deployed to apprehend the 24-year-old after the fatal accident.
The incident occurred when Kaveri Nakhwa, a 45-year-old woman, and her husband Pradip were returning home on their scooter after buying wholesale fish at Crawford Market. The collision happened on Dr Annie Besant Road, with both victims landing on the car’s bonnet. The BMW sped off with them still on it. Pradip, injured, searched for his wife but couldn’t find her. She was later found near the Worli end of the sea link, about 2 kilometres from the accident scene, and was declared dead at Nair Hospital, Mumbai Central.
The car was registered under Mihir’s father’s name, and its insurance had expired in May. Rajesh Shah is a Shiv Sena representative from Palghar in the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Chief Minister Shinde assured that all involved in the hit-and-run would face consequences, emphasizing that the law would be applied equally to everyone, regardless of their status or political connections.
