Maharashtra govt must ensure Worli hit-and-run case accused faces justice: NCP (SP) leader Clyde Crasto

Clyde Crasto. File Pic

Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar spokesperson Clyde Crasto has urged the Maharashtra government to ensure the main accused in the Worli hit-and-run case, Mihir Shah, is not given leniency or evade punishment due to the accused's father's association with Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena party, reported news agency ANI.

Mihir Shah, the son of political leader Rajesh Shah, is the main accused in the Worli hit-and-run case, which resulted in the death of 45-year-old woman Kaveri Nakhwa.

"We have seen before in the Pune hit-and-run case leniency was given to the accused because he had political connections. The Bhartiya Janata Party-led Maharashtra government must now make sure that just because the culprit is affiliated to the Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, he should not be given leniency and go caught free," Crasto added, reported ANI.

Crasto demanded strict action against Mihir Shah in the Worli hit-and-run case.

"Mihir Shah, the accused in the Worli BMW hit and run case is finally arrested by the Mumbai police. Strict action must be taken against this man because he mercilessly drove over the poor lady and killed her. All laws applicable in such a case should be applied to Mihir Shah. There are reports that Mihir Shah's father is affiliated with the Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena therefore, this should not be the reason why leniency is accorded to him," he said in a self-made video on Tuesday, reported ANI.

A Mumbai court on Tuesday extended the police custody of Rajesh Shah's driver, Rajrishi Singh Bidawat in the Worli hit-and-run case until Thursday, July 11.

According to officials, Shah's driver, Bidawat, was with Mihir Shah when the luxury car hit and killed a 45-year-old woman, Kaveri Nakhwa, and injured her husband.

"We have to interrogate Mihir and the driver together. We need his custody because he takes drugs and was present at the time of the accident. They ran over a woman with the car," Mumbai police said while arguing in court on Tuesday, reported ANI.

During the hearing, the defence lawyer said that police had no evidence of the driver's involvement.

"The driver was not in that pub. Police have no evidence that he took drugs or consumed any such thing. There is no point in police custody without evidence," the lawyer said, reported ANI.

Mihir Shah was arrested from Virar on Tuesday. Shah had been absconding after the car he was allegedly driving hit a scooter on Dr Annie Besant Road in Worli on Sunday, July 7. Fourteen teams were formed by Mumbai police to nab him.

Police arrested Rajrishi Singh Bidawat and Mihir's father for their alleged involvement in the case.

Pradeep Nakhwa, husband of the hit-and-run case victim, said that party leaders will do nothing as the accused is their leader's son.

"These party leaders will do nothing, this is the son of their leader only. he is a big person who can buy anyone...who is there on our side? Did Fadnavis or Shinde come to our house, to know what happened? Did Ajit Pawar come? They all have become blind in greed for power...they come to meet the public only to beg for votes and then they forget...for them, we public are waste material," he said., reported ANI.

(With inputs from ANI)