Woman’s death in hit-and-run in Worli: Prosecution submits draft charges in court

In the 2024 Worli ‘hit-and-run’ case where a woman was run over, the prosecution Monday submitted the draft charges against the accused including 24-year-old Mihir Shah, stating that there is evidence to charge him under Section 105 (1) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the maximum punishment for which is between ten years and life imprisonment.

The 45-year-old woman’s family had sought that Shah be booked on charges of murder but the Bombay High Court had dismissed the plea stating that the trial court has wide powers to alter or add any charge. The chargesheet filed by the police was also under Section 105 (1) BNS.

On July 7, 2024, Shah, driving a BMW car, allegedly rammed a two-wheeler on which Pradip Nakhawa was traveling with his wife, Kaveri around 5.25am in Worli. Kaveri was allegedly dragged for nearly 2-km after she got stuck between the car’s bumper and tyre and was later flung onto the road. She succumbed to the injuries caused. Pradip had approached the high court in 2025, seeking that the police be directed to charge Shah under Section 103 (murder) of the BNS. He had told the court that he wrote to the police but after receiving no response, he approached the high court. The petition said that Shah had failed to stop after the collision and had continued to drive the car, dragging the victim, stating that this was justified including the murder charge.

The high court had in its order, while dismissing the plea on September 23, 2025, said the relief sought by Pradip to add the section cannot be granted. It said that it was not getting into the merits of the case, but the trial court has powers to alter or add any charge any time before the judgment is pronounced. “The court can exercise this power if there exists some material before it, which has some connection or link with the charges sought to be added or modified. Though the alleged act is a serious one, it is not permissible under this jurisdiction that this court inquires into the matter and the petitioner has an adequate remedy available under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita,” the high court had said.

The draft charge submitted by additional public prosecutor Sachin Patil included other sections including Section 281 (rash and negligent driving) of BNS and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Shah’s father, Rajesh and his driver Rajrishi Bindawat have also been named accused in the case for allegedly causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information, under Section 238 of BNS.

Shah is behind bars after his bail plea was rejected by the Supreme Court last month.

Sadaf Modak is a distinguished Legal Correspondent based in Mumbai whose work demonstr... Read More