A mistake of switching on a mobile phone for 15 minutes led to the arrest of Mihir Shah, the son of a prominent Shiv Sena leader, after investigations went on for two days.
The 24-year-old, who had managed to evade the police since the accident on Sunday morning, was finally arrested from Virar near Mumbai.
The luxury car driven by Mihir allegedly rammed into a two-wheeler from behind in the Worli area of south-central Mumbai, resulting in the death of Kaveri Nakhwa (45), who was riding pillion, while her husband Pradeep survived with injuries.
Mihir Shah then fled from Kala Nagar area leaving his car and driver behind in an auto rickshaw, and reached his woman friend's residence in suburban Goregaon, PTI reported citing police officials.
The publication reported that Mihir's friend called his sister, who reached Goregaon, and took both Mihir and his friend to her Borivali residence, a senior police official said.
The Shah family then decided to flee to a resort at Shahapur in Thane district in an Audi car. Mihir, his mother Meena, sisters Kinjal and Pooja and two friends continued staying at the resort.
After learning of the identity of one of the friends accompanying Mihir, Mumbai Police tracked his number, but this friend too had switched off his mobile phone, the official said.
On late Monday evening, Mihir along with his friend left the Shahapur resort and reached Virar, where his friend switched on his mobile phone for 15 minutes, he said.
Police immediately tracked down the mobile tower location and intercepted the duo, the official added.
As to Mihir's movements prior to the accident, the official said that after partying with friends at a bar in the Juhu area, Mihir Shah left with his driver for South Mumbai in the early hours.
The state Excise Department later sealed the bar and the BMC demolished a part of it that was deemed illegal in the Juhu area of Mumbai visited by Mihir and his friends on Saturday night, hours before he allegedly took the wheel of the car involved in the crash, an official told PTI.
The bar manager had served hard liquor to Mihir, who is yet to complete 24 years of age, violating Maharashtra's legal drinking age of 25, he told the publication.
Mihir was spotted in Marine Drive area around 4.30 am, driving the BMW car. Driver Rajrushi Bidawat was sitting next to him.
As the vehicle reached Worli, the car hit the two-wheeler, killing Kaveri Nakhwa.
With PTI inputs
Published 10 July 2024, 09:17 IST