Mumbai Police has issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against a 24-year-old man, son of a Shiv Sena leader, who was allegedly driving a BMW car when it fatally knocked down a woman in Worli area of the city in the early hours of Sunday, July 8.
Kaveri Nakhwa (45), resident of Worli Koliwada, was going with her husband Pradeep on the arterial Dr Annie Besant Road when the luxury car, allegedly driven by Mihir Shah, crashed it into the couple's two-wheeler at around 5.30 am on Sunday, according to the police.
Mihir Shah is the son of a Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah from neighbouring Palghar district. Rajesh Shah was granted bail by Sewree Court at a provisional cash bail of Rs 15,000 on Monday, a day after getting arrested in the accident case .
The luxury car being driven by the 24-year-old dragged the woman for more than 2 km, a police official had said. The woman was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared her dead on arrival.
Accused Fled After Accident
After the accident, Mihir Shah fled towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, news agency PTI cited officials as saying. Mihir left the car and his driver Rajrishi Bidawat, who was sitting next to him, near Kala Nagar in Bandra area and ran away.
Mihir's father Rajesh Shah and driver Rajrishi Bidawat were later arrested by the Worli police on Sunday for allegedly helping Mihir escape after the accident, the official said.
Rajesh Shah is a Shiv Sena leader from Palghar. The official said the car is owned by Rajesh Shah.
LOC Issued Over Possibility Of Mihir Fleeing Country
"As there was a possibility of Mihir Shah fleeing the country, the Mumbai Police on Sunday evening issued an LOC against him," the official said.
The police have launched a search for the accused and formed six teams to trace him, he said.
Police suspect Mihir was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident as he was spotted at a bar in Juhu area here a few hours before the incident, the official said.
The police have also found a bill of Rs 18,000 of the bar and are verifying it, the official said without elaborating. The CCTV footage of the bar is also being examined, he said.
The two arrested persons were booked under various sections, including 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), according to the police.
Rajesh Shah had spoken to his son Mihir Shah on the phone several times after the accident, Police said on Monday. Before the incident, accused Mihir had visited a pub in Juhu area with his friends.
'Law Equal For Everyone': CM Shinde
Reacting to the incident, Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the law was equal for everyone and no one would be spared.
Asked if the man involved in the accident was a Shiv Sena leader's son, the CM said, "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."
"The police will not shield anyone. The Mumbai accident is unfortunate. I have spoken to the police department to take strict action," he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who represents the Worli assembly constituency, in a post on X on Sunday said, "I will not go into the political leanings of Mr 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. Hopefully there will be no political refuge by the regime."
Lives Of Ordinary Citizens Precious': CM Shinde
Taking to X on Monday, Maharashtra Chief Minkister Eknath Shinde reiterated that the "misuse of status by the powerful to manipulate the system will not be tolerated" by his government.
"I am 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," Eknath Shinde wrote in his X post.
"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. In addition, we are implementing stricter laws and harsher penalties for hit-and-run offenders," the post read.
No one, whether rich, influential, or the children of bureaucrats or ministers, affiliated with any party, will have immunity as long as I am the Chief Minister of the State, CM Shinde said, adding that he has "zero tolerance for injustice."
"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," he said.
