 "BMW hit-and-run case: Why was the 23-year-old served alcohol? Updates")
Mihir Shah, arrested after a three-day manhunt, is accused of using a fake identity card to enter the pub, sparking further investigations and actions, according to a report by NDTV.
Following Shah’s arrest, investigators confronted the pub, asking the establishment why the accused had been given alcohol despite being under the legal drinking age of 25. The pub also came under scrutiny for unauthorised construction.
Shah, aged 23, allegedly used an identity card showing he was 27 to enter the Vice-Global Tapas Bar on Sunday night. According to a report by The Times of India, Shah and his two friends allegedly consumed 12 large pegs of whiskey, about four large pegs each at the bar before the incident. The bill amounted to more than Rs 20,000, the report said.
BMW hit-and-run and arrest
After leaving the pub with friends, Shah reportedly drove his BMW car into a two-wheeler in Mumbai’s Worli area early Sunday morning. The impact led to Kaveri Nakhwa being dragged 1.5 km before Shah stopped the car. The incident resulted in the death of Kaveri Nakhwa, 45, who was riding pillion. Her husband, Pradeep Nakhwa, survived with injuries.
After stopping the car, Shah then allegedly swapped seats with his driver, abandoned the body, and fled. The police have secured multiple CCTV footage capturing these events, and investigations are ongoing to piece together the sequence and identify any further accomplices.
Shah was apprehended from Virar near Mumbai on Tuesday after a three-day search by the police. On Wednesday, the Sewree court remanded him in police custody until July 16.
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Legal proceedings and investigation
During the court proceedings, the prosecution emphasised that Shah had altered his appearance by cutting his hair and shaving his beard to evade arrest. They stressed the need for custodial interrogation to uncover more evidence and identify those who aided him.
Discrepancies in the statements of Shah and his driver, Raj Bidawat, also necessitated further investigation. The prosecution sought to determine if Shah had a valid driving licence and whether he attempted to destroy evidence by contacting others post-incident.
Shah’s defence argued that most of the investigation was complete and his further custody was unnecessary. However, the court granted police custody to confront Shah with his co-accused and probe the missing number plate of the BMW.
Actions against the pub
Following Shah’s arrest, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) acted against the Vice-Global Tapas Bar, which had allegedly undertaken unauthorised construction. The BMC’s K-West ward office team demolished 3,500 square feet of illegal construction, including alterations in the kitchen area, ground floor, and first floor.
The bar had been given prior notice before the demolition, which was carried out in the presence of police and state excise department officials. The demolition involved 20 workers, five engineers, and two officers using heavy machinery.
(With agency inputs)