- By Chetna Shree
- Sat, 18 Jul 2026 06:51 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Bombay HC cancelled Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre's bail.
- Mhatre assaulted doctors at Thane hospital; extensive criminal history.
- Court urged doctors to reconsider July 22 strike.
Mumbai: Taking a stern view of the attack on doctors and other staff members at a government hospital in Thane, the Bombay High Court on Saturday cancelled the bail granted to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre.
In a rare move, the High Court convened for a special Saturday sitting and took suo motu cognisance of the bail granted to Mhatre and his aides. The court has ordered the corporator to surrender by 5 PM on Sunday, July 19.
Court Flags Corporator's Extensive Criminal History
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad noted that the magistrate's court in Kalyan did not properly weigh the extensive criminal history of Mhatre when granting him bail. The corporation from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has been named in 18 criminal cases, including charges of murder and attempt to murder, NDTV reported.
"Even though he was acquitted in 17 cases, the court ought to have considered the fact that he was named in 18 cases, some of which were of a very serious and heinous nature," the bench observed.
Court Urges Doctors To Reconsider July 22 Strike
Following the cancellation of bail for Mhatre and his aides, the division bench took note of the decision of doctors in Maharashtra, especially those working in municipal and government hospitals, to go on strike on July 22. The judges urged doctors to reconsider their decision, especially in view of their 'service to mankind'.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had previously announced a 24-hour shutdown of hospitals across Maharashtra on Monday, July 20, to protest the attack on doctors and other staff members by Mhatre. However, the IMA clarified that emergency and essential medical services will remain operational during the protest.
The Incident That Triggered The High Court Action
This comes days after Ramesh Mhatre and his aides stormed a hospital in Dombivli, in Thane district, on July 6. The confrontation began after a family complained that they had been asked to take their newborn to another medical facility because the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was full.
A video of the incident quickly went viral, showing the men assaulting two doctors, including a woman, along with several other staff members.
What The Shiv Sena Corporator Said?
Before his arrest, Mhatre told NDTV that he had no remorse and refused to apologise for the incident, insisting instead that he was trying to help a woman and her child.
"I did not attack the woman doctor at the hospital," the corporator said, adding, "I swatted her phone as she was not listening to us. I only tried to get her off the phone."
Mhatre was arrested on July 8 and granted bail on July 14.