Mihir Shah, son of Shiv Sena politician Rajesh Shah, has confessed to being the driver in the Worli hit-and-run incident. Following this revelation, Shiv Sena dismissed Rajesh Shah from his position as the party’s deputy leader. The accident, which occurred on Sunday morning, resulted in the death of Kaveri Nakhwa and injuries to her husband, Pradeep. Mihir, who had been absconding since the accident, was apprehended two days later. Initial reports indicate Mihir was intoxicated while driving the BMW that struck the couple’s two-wheeler, dragging Kaveri for 1.5 kilometers.
Mumbai police revealed that Mihir had spent the evening drinking in Juhu before the incident. After the crash, he fled to a friend’s house in Goregaon. The Crime Branch eventually located and arrested him in Virar, following a tip-off from a friend’s mobile phone activation. Rajesh Shah, who is accused of aiding his son’s escape, has also been implicated.
CCTV footage presented in court showed the horrifying details of the incident, including Mihir and his driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, dragging the victim and later running over her again while reversing the car. Mihir’s family members, including his mother Meena and sisters Pooja and Kinjal, were detained but claimed they were hiding out of fear of mob attacks.
Mihir Shah, 24, attempted to evade capture by shaving his beard as a disguise. During interrogation, Mihir detailed his actions before and after the crash, which resulted in the tragic death of Kaveri Nakhwa. He initially hid at his girlfriend’s house in Goregaon before moving to various locations with the help of his family.
The Crime Branch arrested Mihir from a resort in Virar after tracking the mobile phone of a friend who was with him. His family members were found hiding in different hotels in Thane, near Nashik, and in Murbad.
Following Mihir’s confession, Shiv Sena removed his father, Rajesh Shah, from his position as the deputy leader of the party’s Palghar unit. Rajesh Shah is also accused of facilitating Mihir’s escape and is currently out on bail. Police stated that Rajesh actively helped Mihir evade arrest and face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The incident has caused significant public outcry and raised questions about political influence and accountability. The detailed CCTV footage, which showed the brutal nature of the accident and subsequent actions by Mihir and his driver, has further intensified the demand for justice for Kaveri Nakhwa.