Who is Mihir Shah, man behind deadly Mumbai BMW hit-and-run case

New Delhi: In the early hours of Sunday, a tragic accident occurred in Mumbai's Worli area, where a speeding BMW car hit a two-wheeler, resulting in the death of a 45-year-old woman. The victim, Kaveri Nakhwa, was riding with her husband Pradip on Annie Besant Road when the incident took place at around 5:30 AM. Kaveri was quickly taken to a nearby hospital, but she was declared dead upon arrival. 

The car, reportedly driven by Mihir Shah, the son of a Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde camp) leader, lost control, leading to the fatal collision. Mihir Shah is currently the main suspect in the case and is on the run, with police actively searching for him.

Who is Mihir Shah?

Mihir Shah, aged 24, is the son of Rajesh Shah, a deputy leader of the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction). Mihir's educational background includes studying up to Class 10, after which he joined his father's construction and real estate business in Maharashtra. 

Mihir was allegedly driving the BMW and was accompanied by Rajrishi Bidawar, who is now in police custody. After the accident, the car was found abandoned in Kala Nagar, Bandra East. According to police, Mihir and Rajrishi fled the scene in separate auto-rickshaws. Mihir reportedly went to his girlfriend's house, and the police are currently questioning her about sheltering him.

Police arrest accused father

Rajesh Shah, Mihir's father, was detained by police since the BMW was registered in his name. Initial investigations revealed that Mihir and his friends had visited a pub before the crash. The pub owner claimed Mihir did not consume alcohol, only drinking Red Bull. However, the police are investigating whether Mihir was under the influence at the time of the accident.

#UPDATE | Mumbai | Worli hit and run case: Worli Police have arrested Rajendra Singh Bidawat who was present inside the car and the father of the person, Rajesh Shah. Mihir Shah is absconding, 6 Police teams have been formed to find him: Worli Police

Visuals of the accused being… https://t.co/8G1VVeKzEk pic.twitter.com/NtDxSDYvV7

— ANI (@ANI) July 7, 2024

Mihir Shah faces charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sahita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and rash and negligent driving endangering human life.

Government’s response

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has emphasized that the law applies equally to everyone and promised strict action. "The law is equal for all, and the government sees every case in the same way. There will be no separate rule for this accident. Everything will be done as per the law," Shinde stated. He assured the public that no one would be shielded, and the police were committed to taking appropriate action.