Mumbai BMW Hit-and-Run Case: “These Boys Need to Be Taught a Lesson”, SC Refuses Bail to Mihir Shah

The Bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih took note of the fact that Shah belongs to an affluent family and that his father is associated with the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena.

While declining to intervene, the Court remarked that such cases demand a strong message.

“He parks his Mercedes in the shed, takes out his BMW and crashes it and goes absconding. Let him be inside for some time. These boys need to be taught a lesson,” the Bench observed.

Senior Advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Shah, submitted that the Bombay High Court had granted liberty to seek bail after the testimony of key witnesses was recorded. However, sensing the Court’s reluctance to entertain the plea, she sought permission to withdraw the petition, which was allowed.

Shah, aged 24, was arrested on July 9, 2024, two days after he allegedly rammed his BMW into a two-wheeler in Mumbai’s Worli area. The accident led to the death of Kaveri Nakhwa (45) and caused injuries to her husband, Pradeep Nakhwa.

According to the prosecution, Shah did not stop after the collision and allegedly sped towards the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The deceased woman was allegedly dragged on the bonnet of the car before getting entangled in its wheels for over 1.5 kilometres.

Shah’s driver, Rajrishi Bidawat, who was also present in the vehicle at the time of the incident, was arrested on the day of the alleged accident. Both Shah and the driver are currently in judicial custody.

The bail plea before the Supreme Court challenged a November 21, 2024 order of the Bombay High Court, which had refused to grant Shah bail. The High Court had observed that Shah was heavily inebriated at the time of the incident and failed to stop the vehicle even after hitting the scooter and dragging the victim underneath the car.

The High Court further held that Shah’s conduct before and after the alleged offence did not inspire confidence to justify the grant of bail. It noted that although the collision may have been accidental, Shah’s decision to flee at high speed indicated a serious disregard for human life.

Highlighting post-incident conduct, the High Court had pointed to Shah allegedly exchanging seats with his driver, making calls to his father and leaving the scene of the offence. These actions, the Court said, reflected a clear intent to evade arrest and a likelihood of tampering with evidence or intimidating witnesses.