In Mumbai’s recent hit-and-run incident, Mihir Shah, identified as the main perpetrator who fatally struck a 45-year-old woman in Worli on July 7, was ordered by the Sewree court on Wednesday to remain in police custody until July 16.
Mihir, the son of Rajesh Shah, a close aide to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, was apprehended on Tuesday in Virar, where he had allegedly been hiding with family and friends for over 72 hours.
Upon his arrest, Mihir was brought before the Sewree Court, where law enforcement authorities requested an extended period of custody. They emphasized that Mihir had evaded capture successfully for nearly 72 hours, justifying the need for maximum custody to further their investigation.
The police also informed the court that Mihir had altered his appearance by cutting his hair and beard in an attempt to mislead investigators. They emphasized the need to confront Mihir with statements from other witnesses. Additionally, police noted that they had already corroborated statements from the family driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, who allegedly assisted Mihir in fleeing the scene of the crime.
To support their arguments, the police presented CCTV footage showing Mihir initially consuming alcohol at a bar and subsequently colliding his car with the motorcycle of the victims, the Nakhwa couple. Kaveri Nakhwa was dragged for approximately 2 kilometers before Mihir stopped the car. According to the CCTV footage, Mihir then removed Kaveri’s body, which was wedged between the tire and the bonnet, and dumped it onto the road.
The police reported that Mihir, initially driving the vehicle, later swapped seats with driver Bidawat, who subsequently ran over the woman while fleeing the scene.
On Wednesday, advocate Sudhir Bhardwaj, representing Mihir, informed the court that his client’s custodial interrogation was unnecessary. He argued that Mihir’s statements were taken in the presence of the driver and were consistent. The counsel opposed the police’s request for remand, citing the availability of sufficient evidence in their possession, particularly the CCTV footage.
However, the police contended that certain aspects of the case require clarification from the accused, Mihir. They highlighted the need for clarity on how he managed to evade arrest for 72 hours and details surrounding the disposal of the broken vehicle number plate.
After considering these arguments, the court granted police custody for six days and remanded Mihir to police custody until July 16.
Interestingly, Mihir’s father, Rajesh Shah, was granted bail by the court on Monday, while the driver remains in custody. Prosecutors allege that the driver misled the police and changed seats on the instructions of Rajesh Shah.
Posted and reproduced in Public Interest by
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