3 minutes of readingUpdated: January 19, 2026 21:46 IST
In the 2024 Worli hit-and-run case, in which a woman was run over, the prosecution on Monday submitted draft charges against the accused, including 24-year-old Mihir Shah, stating that there is evidence to charge him under Section 105 (1) (culpable manslaughter not amounting to murder) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the maximum penalty for which is 10 years to life imprisonment.
The 45-year-old woman’s family had sought that Shah be charged with murder, but the Bombay High Court dismissed the plea saying that the trial court has wide powers to modify or add any charge. The accusation brought by the police was also based on section 105 (1) of the BNS.
On July 7, 2024, Shah, driving a BMW car, allegedly rammed a two-wheeler in which Pradip Nakhawa was traveling with his wife, Kaveri, around 5.25 am in Worli. Kaveri was allegedly dragged for nearly 2 kilometers after getting caught between the car’s bumper and tire and was then thrown onto the road. She succumbed to the injuries caused. Pradip had approached the high court in 2025, requesting that the police be directed to charge Shah under Section 103 (murder) of the BNS. He had told the court that he had written to the police but after receiving no response, he approached the high court. The petition said Shah did not stop after the collision and continued driving the car, dragging the victim, claiming this was justified including the murder charge.
The high court had in its order, although it dismissed the plea on September 23, 2025, that the relief sought by Pradip for adding the section cannot be granted. He said it did not go into the merits of the case, but that the trial court has powers to alter or add any charge at any time before the sentence is pronounced. “The court can exercise this power if there is any material before it which has any connection or nexus with the charges sought to be added or modified. Although the alleged act is serious, it is not permissible under this jurisdiction for this court to investigate the matter and the petitioner to have adequate remedy available under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita,” the top court had said.
The draft charge filed 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 charged in the case with allegedly causing evidence to disappear or giving false information, according to section 238 of BNS.
Shah is behind bars after the Supreme Court rejected his bail plea last month.
