"They Take Votes, Treat Us Like Garbage": Husband Of BMW Hit-And-Run Victim

Mihir Shah, who allegedly rammed a couple with his BMW on Sunday, was arrested today, but for the man who saw his wife being dragged under the wheels of the car in front of him and the daughter who saw her mother suffer in the hospital, the action means little to none. "He dragged her (under the wheels) in front of me. There's no one for us," said Pradeep Nakhwa breaking down into tears

"We are poor. Who is there to support us or get us justice? Today, he will be sent to jail. Tomorrow he will be produced in court and then he will get bail. He will be released and then this case will be dragged on. Where will we get the money (to fight the case)? How will we hire a lawyer? Who is there for us? Politicians don't care for us. He (the accused) is the son of a leader. He has money. We have nothing," said Mr Nakhwa who also got injured in the crash.

Mihir Shah is the son of deputy leader of the Eknath Shinde-led party in Maharashtra's Palghar district, Rajesh Shah.

"He (Mihir Shah)was arrested three days after the accident. Why was he hiding? If he didn't do anything, if he didn't have alcohol or drugs, why did he run? He abandoned the vehicle after the crash, broke the number plate and went into hiding, why? He won't have any trace of alcohol in his blood after three days," said Mr Nakhwa.

The fish-seller couple Pradeep Nakhwa and Kaveri Nakhwa was headed home after buying fish from Sassoon Dock early on Sunday when they were hit by the luxury car from behind. The 24-year-old was allegedly behind the wheels at the time while his driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, was in the passenger seat.

Raging with sorrow, Mr Nakhwa wondered why none of the politicians inquired after them: "Has Devendra Fadnavis visited us? Has Eknath Shinde come to our home to know what happened? Is Ajit Pawar here? They only care for the chair. Power has blinded all of them".

"They only remember us for votes. They forget us after that. Public is garbage for them. They talk about ladli behna yojna. Your 'ladli behna' has died," said Mr Nakhwa, choking up.

Maharashtra Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde asserted "no one, whether rich, influential" would be spared if found guilty.

"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 asserted.

CCTV footage produced by police in court yesterday showed Nakhwa being dragged by the car for 1.5 kilometres. It showed Mihir Shah and Bidawat pulling the woman off the engine bay and placing her on the road. They then exchanged seats and mowed her down again while reversing the car.

"She would have been alive today if he hadn't run his car over her again while reversing," said her grieving husband.

The daughter, sitting next to her father, said she wants the accused to be hanged, gesturing with her hands.

"She was in a lot of pain. She was badly injured. I saw her at the hospital, she was in a lot of pain. I want justice for her," she said, crying inconsolably.

The accused allegedly sped away after running over the woman. But the vehicle's engine stalled after some time. Mihir then allegedly called his father Rajesh Shah from his driver's phone and told him about the accident who in turn asked him to escape. Later Rajesh Shah planned to tow the BMW from there, an official said.

However, since Kaveri Nakhwa's husband Pradip and a witness had alerted the police, a patrolling team reached the spot and caught Rajesh and Bidawat.

Rajesh Shah and Bidawat were produced in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Sewree) SP Bhosale yesterday and were remanded in 14-day judicial and one-day police custody, respectively. Shah was charged for allegedly providing misinformation and destruction of evidence.

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