The Maharashtra Police has arrested Rajesh Shah, a senior leader of the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, for non-cooperation after his 24-year-old son, Mihir Shah, allegedly crashed his BMW car into a bike on Sunday, leading to the death of a woman in Mumbai’s Worli area, NDTV reported.
The police have also arrested their family driver, Rajrishi Rajendrasingh Bidawat, who was allegedly present in the car at the time of the accident.
Mihir Shah, who is suspected to have been inebriated at the time of the accident, is reportedly absconding. The police have issued a lookout circular for him, fearing that he may try to flee the country to avoid being arrested, reported The Indian Express.
Once such a circular is issued, a suspect is halted at immigration if they try to leave the country through an airport or port.
The victim, identified as Kaveri Nakhwa, was a resident of Worli Koliwada, a fishing village at the edges of the upscale South Mumbai neighbourhood. After the crash, she was dragged on the bonnet of the car for around 100 metres.
The victim’s husband Pradeep Nakhava, who also sustained injuries, is in hospital.
The police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving and destruction of evidence, among others, under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Mihir Shah. Provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act have also been invoked.
On Monday, Shinde wrote on X that he was “deeply alarmed by the rise in hit-and-run cases in Maharashtra”.
“It is intolerable that the powerful and influential misuse their status to manipulate the system,” the chief minister said. “Such miscarriages of justice will not be tolerated by my government.”
He said he has directed the police department to handle the case with utmost seriousness and ensure justice is served. He also said that no influential persons will have immunity.
“I have zero tolerance for injustice,” said Shinde. “Let it be clear: my administration stands firmly with the victims and their families. We are committed to creating a safer Maharashtra for all its citizens.”
Aaditya Thackeray, leader of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction, met the victim’s husband on Sunday.
“I will not go into the political leanings of Shah, the accused of the hit-and-run, but I hope the police will act swiftly to catch the accused and bring him to justice,” the former Maharashtra minister said on social media. “Hopefully there will be no political refuge by the regime.”
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