Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and his associates were arrested for allegedly assaulting two doctors and nurses at a civic-run hospital in Dombivli on the night of July 6 after a family was advised to shift a newborn to another facility. File
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Bombay High Court, in a special Saturday sitting, cancelled the bail granted to Ramesh Mhatre, a Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) corporator, and four of his associates for assaulting three doctors at a civic hospital. The court took suo motu cognisance of the magistrate’s order.
The High Court Bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad, noted that the magistrate’s order did not consider Mr. Mhatre’s antecedents. The court stated that the magistrate had taken the case lightly, given that the accused, accompanied by four others, attacked three doctors in a corporation hospital.
The Bench observed that the police desired to interrogate Mr. Mhatre. The court noted that the magistrate’s operative order contained no direction for Mr. Mhatre to mark his presence at the police station on specific dates or to cooperate with the investigation. The Bench stated that no condition was imposed to monitor his presence for the probe agency.
The Bench directed Mr. Mhatre to surrender to the Dombivli police station before 5 p.m. on July 19. The court ordered that if he does not surrender or is not reachable, authorities may initiate procedures to attach his immovable properties. The High Court also cancelled the bail granted to the four other assailants.
The court’s action follows a decision by doctors across Maharashtra to abstain from work on July 22, a protest against the grant of bail to Mr. Mhatre.
The Bench appealed to the doctors to reconsider their strike decision. The court stated that doctors in government and civic hospitals should reconsider the decision in the larger interest of society.
Advocate Niranjan Mundargi appeared as amicus curiae. Advocate General Milind Sathe, assisted by Chief Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray, represented the State.
Published – July 18, 2026 06:01 pm IST
