HC dismisses plea to add murder charges in Worli hit-and-run case

The Bombay High Court dismissed a petition seeking murder charges in a hit-and-run case, stating it can't compel police to add new offences.

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition filed by the husband of the woman who died in the Worli hit-and-run case of July 2024, seeking the addition of ‘murder’ charges at the behest of the accused, and transfer of the investigation due to alleged bias and negligence by the authorities.

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The division bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad stated that it cannot compel the investigating agency to add new offences unless it sees a clear violation at the behest of the police.

“Better withdraw this, or it might cost you. This cannot be granted. Even further investigation at your instance can’t be granted,” said the court while dismissing the petition filed by Pradeep Nakhwa, the husband of the victim Kaveri Nakhwa, 45.

In his petition, filed through advocate Dileep Satale, Nakhwa claimed that the police did not charge Mihir Shah, one of the accused in the case, with murder, despite there being clear evidence to show Shah was aware of the fatal consequences of his action.

The plea alleged that while dragging and running over Kaveri, Shah was aware of the fatal consequences of his actions. Hence, although the police have charged Shah with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, rash driving, and other offences, the two accused need to be charged with murder too, it said.

“The accused’s actions, dragging the victim despite her being visibly trapped under the vehicle, demonstrate deliberate and inhumane conduct, justifying the inclusion of Section 103 (murder). The autopsy report confirmed that the cause of Kaveri’s death was shock and haemorrhage caused by multiple severe abrasions, consistent with brutal dragging and collision,” the petition added.