Mumbai bar where BMW hit-and-run accused spent hours bulldozed
What's the story
City officials demolished sections of the Vice-Global Tapas Bar in Mumbai's Juhu Wednesday morning, 24 hours after the Excise Department sealed the property. The bar sold liquor to 24-year-old Mihir Shah—under the legal drinking age—late Saturday and early Sunday, hours before he allegedly ran over a woman with his BMW. In addition to serving alcohol to minors, the bar was sealed for lacking a proper license and for illegal construction, which was subsequently demolished.
Arrest
Politician's son arrested in connection with hit-and-run
On Tuesday, Mihir, son of politician Rajesh Shah from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena party, was arrested along with his mother and two sisters. The arrest took place at an apartment in Virar—65km from Mumbai—after Mihir had been missing for over 72 hours following the incident. Police believe the family helped hide Mihir after the accident. Rajesh and the family driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, were also arrested on Sunday, however, the Sena leader was granted bail the next day.
Escape plan
Mihir, family's phone turned off for 3 days
Mihir had fled after allegedly hitting the woman—Kaveri Nakhwa—early Sunday morning. The police took three days to apprehend him as he and his family had turned off their phones. To recall, Kaveri was riding pillion on a scooter with her husband Pradip Nakhwa from Mazagaon Docks to Worli Koliwada. The collision threw both onto the car's bonnet; Pradip managed to jump off, but Kaveri was dragged 1km by the fleeing car and was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
New details
Woman run over twice to mislead police investigation
Police told the court on Monday that Mihir allegedly switched seats with his driver after dragging the victim on the car's bonnet for nearly one-and-a-half kilometers. The driver, Bidawat, then reversed the vehicle and ran over the woman again before fleeing, in an attempt to mislead police. After the incident, Mihir abandoned his BMW near Kala Nagar in Bandra and fled to his girlfriend's house in Goregaon.
Location traced
Friend switched on phone for 15 minutes
Then, his sister picked him up and drove him to their house in Borivali. From there, Mihir, along with his mother Meena Shah and two sisters Puja and Kinjal, left for a resort in Shahpur, nearly 70km from Mumbai. Mihir was apprehended when he separated from his family and traveled with a friend to Virar. His friend switched on his mobile phone for 15 minutes which allowed police to pinpoint their location and arrest Mihir.
Statement
Zero tolerance for injustice: CM Shinde
Earlier, CM Shinde had expressed alarm at the "rise in hit-and-run incidents." In a post on X, he had said, "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 of the State. I have zero tolerance for injustice."