Bombay High Court Cancels Bail of Shiv Sena Corporator in Doctors Assault Case

The Bombay High Court, in a special Saturday sitting, cancelled the bail granted to Ramesh Mhatre, a corporator from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and four of his associates for assaulting three doctors at a civic hospital. The court took suo motu cognisance of the magistrate's order granting bail.

The Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad observed that the magistrate's order failed to consider Mr. Mhatre's criminal antecedents. The court noted that the magistrate appeared to have taken the case lightly, given that the accused, accompanied by four others, attacked three doctors within a corporation hospital.

The Bench further noted that the police required the opportunity to interrogate Mr. Mhatre. However, the magistrate's operative order did not include any direction for Mr. Mhatre to mark his presence at the police station on specific dates or to cooperate with the investigation. The court stated that no conditions were imposed to monitor his presence for the investigating agency.

Consequently, the High Court directed Mr. Mhatre to surrender at the Dombivli police station before 5 p.m. on July 19. The court ordered that if he fails to surrender or cannot be located, authorities may initiate procedures to attach his immovable properties. The court also cancelled the bail granted to the other four assailants.

The court's action came in response to a decision by doctors across Maharashtra to abstain from work on July 22, protesting the grant of bail to Mr. Mhatre. The Bench appealed to the doctors to reconsider their strike, stating that doctors in government and civic hospitals should reconsider the decision in the larger interest of society.

Advocate Niranjan Mundargi appeared as amicus curiae, while Advocate General Milind Sathe, assisted by Chief Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray, represented the State.