Mihir Shah, son of Shiv Sena leader Rajesh Shah and the main accused in the BMW hit-and-run in Mumbai that killed a woman, remains missing and six police teams are looking for him. Amid investigations, a liquor bill of Rs 18,730 has emerged from a bar in Juhu where the 24-year-old was seen shortly before the crash.
Mihir Shah's father and his driver have been arrested for allegedly helping him escape after the crash.
The incident comes months after a similar case in Pune, in which a speeding Porsche driven by a minor left two 24-year-old engineers dead in Pune.
According to the investigation so far, Mihir Shah drank at a bar in Juhu till late Saturday night and his driver picked him up in the BMW car. At Worli, the politician's son allegedly insisted on driving and took over from the driver. Kaveri Nakhava and her husband Pradeep Nakhava, Koliwada residents who sold fish for a living, were on their way back from Sassoon Dock when the BMW crashed into their scooter. Kaveri Nakhawa was run over and dragged by the BMW as it fled the scene. She was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.
A case has been registered under new criminal laws under sections relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving and destruction of evidence, among others. The Motor Vehicles Act has also been invoked.
The vehicle is registered in Mihir Shah's name.
Police sources have said the Sena leader's son called his father and told him about the crash. His phone has been switched off since then.
The victim's husband, Pradeep, broke down before the media yesterday. "I have two children, what will I do now? These are big people, nobody will do anything, we will suffer," he said.
Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the law was equal for everyone and no one would be spared.
"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," said the Chief Minister.