BMW hit-and-run case: main accused Mihir Shah arrested

The Mumbai police have caught 24-year-old Mihir Shah in the BMW hit-and-run case that left a 45-year-old woman dead.

Shah, who is the son of the ruling Shiv Sena leader Rajaesh Shah, was driving the BMW car when it crashed into a scooter, killing the woman and injuring her husband on the morning of 7th July.

The police had issued a lookout notice and formed 11 teams, including from the Crime Branch, to nab Mihir Shah.

A CCTV video produced by the court showed the woman being dragged by the car for 1.5 kilometres. Shah and another accused Rajrishi Bidawat, who was in the car, pulled the woman off the bonnet, placed her on the road, and then mowed her down again while reversing the car.

According to reports, Mihir was partying with four friends in a bar in Juhu till the early hours of Sunday, after which he and his driver proceeded towards south Mumbai.

Rajesh Shah and Bidawat were produced in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Sewree) SP Bhosale earlier in the day and were remanded in 14-day judicial and one-day police custody, respectively, PTI news agency reported.

Rajesh Shah was, however, later granted bail by court.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde asserted no one would be spared in the case.

"No one, whether rich, influential, or the offspring of bureaucrats or ministers, affiliated with any party, will have immunity as long as I am the chief minister.” he said.

In a statement, Shinde said he has asked police to handle hit and run incidents involving powerful and influential persons with seriousness and ensure justice is served.

Shinde said he was deeply alarmed by the rise in hit-and-run incidents in Maharashtra. "It is intolerable that the powerful and influential misuse their status to manipulate the system. Such miscarriages of justice will not be tolerated by my government," he said.

“The lives of ordinary citizens are precious to us. I have directed the state police department to handle these cases with the utmost seriousness and ensure justice is served. We are implementing stricter laws with harsher penalties for hit-and-run offenders," Shinde said.