Mumbai: Some illegal portions of the bar in Juhu where Worli hit-and-run case accused Mihir Shah was served alcohol before the accident, were demolished by Bombay Municipal Corporation on Wednesday.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is demolishing unauthorised alterations made at the city-based bar, officials said. The establishment - Vice-Global Tapas Bar - against which the action was being taken, is located in Juhu suburb.
The BMW car driven by main accused Mihir Shah allegedly rammed into a two-wheeler from behind in Worli area of south-central Mumbai on Sunday morning, resulting in the death of Kaveri Nakhwa (45), who was riding pillion, while her husband Pradeep survived with injuries, police have said.
According to them, Kaveri Nakhwa was dragged for around 1.5 km by the speeding car before Mihir pulled it over, swapped the seat with his driver, and fled in another vehicle.
Mihir Shah was arrested on Tuesday. A civic official said the BMC's K-West ward office team reached the Vice-Global Tapas Bar this morning and started demolishing some of the additional alterations made inside the establishment. The civic body had conducted an inspection of the bar on Tuesday to check if any unauthorised additions and alterations were made there. Detailed measurements were taken at the bar during the inspection, the official said.
The bar was given a notice before the demolition process began, he said.
Earlier, the state Excise Department sealed the bar. It was visited by Mihir Shah and his friends on Saturday night, hours before he allegedly took the wheel of the car involved in the crash. 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, an excise department official earlier said.
The action to seal the bar was taken on the orders of the district collector for violation of rules, he added.
Mihir Shah's father, Rajesh Shah, is a leader of the ruling Shiv Sena.
Mihir was held two days after the 24-year-old allegedly rammed his BMW car into a two-wheeler, killing a woman and leaving her husband injured. Mihir, whose father is a leader of the ruling Shiv Sena, had fled after the fatal crash.
Mihir was arrested near Mumbai, a police official said. Police said Mihir Shah's father Rajesh Shah took an active part in ensuring his son's escape and also had plans to tow away the offending vehicle. Mihir Shah was allegedly driving the BMW car which fatally knocked down Kaveri Nakhwa (45) and injured her husband Pradeep while the couple was on their two-wheeler in Mumbai's Worli area Sunday morning, police said.
Mumbai police had formed 11 teams and also roped in the Crime Branch to nab Mihir Shah. A Look Out Circular (LOC) had also been put out against him, the official said. Rajesh Shah and the family's driver Rajrishi Bidawat, who were arrested in the case earlier, were produced in a Mumbai court on Monday and remanded in 14-day judicial and one-day police custody, respectively. Rajesh Shah was, however, later granted bail by the court.
