Mihir Shah Sent to Judicial Custody in High-Profile Worli Hit-and-Run Case

Mihir Shah has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the Worli hit-and-run case. The court denied further police custody despite police requests citing the need for ongoing investigation. Shah allegedly consumed excessive alcohol and fled the scene, leading to the incident.

Mihir Shah, the accused in the high-profile Worli hit-and-run case, was presented before the Sewri court on Tuesday for further remand proceedings. Police had sought further police custody for Shah; however, the court refused the demand, sending Shah to judicial custody for 14 days, until July 30.

According to the police, during the investigation, Shah has refused to answer critical questions about his actions and whereabouts following the crime. He has not disclosed why he fled the scene, nor has he revealed the location of his car's number plate or the identities of those who allegedly harbored him while he was on the run.

The defense lawyer objected to the police's request for further remand, arguing that Shah had already been in custody for seven days and had provided all necessary information. The lawyer asserted that the police were attempting to extend custody on grounds already mentioned in the first remand application. Additionally, three sections of the Motor Vehicle Act have been added to the original FIR due to issues with Shah's car, such as having blackened glass, an expired PUC, and expired insurance.

The defense also emphasized that 27 witnesses have already recorded their statements in the case, including the barber who shaved Shah while he was on the run. The police, however, maintained that acquiring additional information from Shah is crucial for the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police revealed that Shah had consumed excessive alcohol at two different places on the night of the incident. During the investigation, it was found that Shah drank at Vice Global Tapas Bar in Juhu and another location between Malad and Borivali. According to the police, Shah and his accomplice, Rajrishi Rajendra Singh Bidawat, had visited Marine Drive on the night of the incident.

On Wednesday, a Mumbai court sent Shah to police custody until July 16. Shah was arrested in Virar on Tuesday and was brought to Sewri court in Mumbai the following day. He had been absconding after allegedly driving the car that hit a scooter on Dr. Annie Besant Road in Worli on Sunday, July 7.

Mumbai Police formed 14 teams to apprehend Shah. Along with Shah, police arrested Rajrishi Singh Bidawat and Shah's father, Rajesh Shah, for their alleged involvement in the case. The 45-year-old victim, a resident of Worli Koliwada, was on the scooter with her husband when the incident occurred. While both sustained injuries, the woman succumbed to her injuries during treatment. The luxury car belonged to a political party leader based in Maharashtra's Palghar.

(With inputs from agencies.)