Doctors Assault Case: The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and three of his associates, who are accused of assaulting three on-duty doctors at a civic-run hospital in Dombivli. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad imposed strict conditions on them, directing all four to remain outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet is filed.
High Court Condemns Assault On Public Servants
While granting relief, the division bench underscored the gravity of the allegations, observing that violence by elected representatives against public servants strikes at the very heart of democracy.
"The rule of democracy is that elected representatives are elected by the people and for the people. But if any elected representative assaults voters, such a situation will dent the very fabric of democracy," Live Law quoted the bench as saying.
Taking note that the investigation is near completion, the court directed the police to finish the remaining forensic examination and file the chargesheet within five days, adding that charges should be framed against the accused by Monday or Tuesday.
High Court Imposes Strict Bail Conditions And Orders Trial To Be Fast-Tracked
The High Court has imposed strict bail conditions on Mhatre and three co-accused, directing them to remain outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet is filed. During this period, all four must report to a local police station three times a week in whichever state they choose to reside. Mhatre, specifically, was directed to stay within the jurisdiction of the Anjuna police station in Goa.
Additionally, the High Court directed the Maharashtra government to provide continuous police protection to the three doctors for as long as they face security threats. The bench also ordered the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) not to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the medical staff for remaining absent from work following the incident.
Further, the High Court ordered that the case be transferred to a fast-track court in Kalyan and instructed the state government to immediately appoint a Special Public Prosecutor to continue with the case until the trial is concluded.
The bail order was issued during the High Court's suo motu proceedings, which were initiated after Mhatre was not granted bail.
Denying him bail during an earlier hearing, the High Court stated, "In a case where the accused led four more persons and attacked 3 doctors in a corporation hospital, showing his fury against the doctors and severely beating them, we think the Magistrate has taken it lightly and has not even considered Mhatre’s antecedents."
Condemning Mhatre's actions, the bench stated, "People vote for you to become their representatives, but after getting elected, you break their heads with files and chairs? It’s quite surprising… Is this how you behave?"
Doctors Assault Case
On July 6, Mhatre entered a hospital in Thane and allegedly assaulted two doctors. The incident reportedly occurred after doctors refused to admit a newborn baby due to a lack of available space in the NICU.
Hospital officials said that doctors Srishti Bawiskar and Vaibhav Salunkhe had advised the newborn’s relatives to shift the child to another hospital, as the baby required urgent care and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the KDMC government hospital was already full.
Instead of following the advice, the relatives contacted Mhatre, who arrived at the hospital with his supporters. Footage from the hospital showed Mhatre approaching the doctor from behind.
The video allegedly showed Mhatre attacking the doctor while she was holding a mobile phone. He and his supporters then allegedly assaulted other hospital staff members. The incident video later went viral on social media.
(With Inputs From PTI)