07 August,2026 01:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Bombay High Court. File Pic
The Bombay High Court on Friday granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and four other accused in the alleged assault on doctors at a municipal hospital in Thane district, while directing that the trial be conducted on a fast-track basis and completed in a time-bound manner.
The court imposed stringent bail conditions, including directing all the accused to remain outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet is filed. It also laid down strict timelines for the investigation, filing of the chargesheet and commencement of the trial.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad granted bail to Mhatre and the four co-accused, observing that the investigation had progressed substantially and the accused had already spent time in judicial custody.
The bench, however, imposed several conditions to ensure that the investigation and trial proceed without interference.
The court directed all the accused to remain outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet is filed. After the trial court frames charges, they may return to the state but have been restrained from contacting prosecution witnesses or attempting to influence the investigation.
While granting relief, the High Court made strong observations on the conduct of elected representatives.
The bench observed that an elected corporator is expected to serve the people and said that an assault on citizens by a public representative undermines democratic values.
"If such an elected person assaults his own voters, then it is an assault on the fabric of the democracy itself," the court observed.
At the same time, the bench said that since the investigation was progressing rapidly and the accused had remained behind bars for some time, they were entitled to be considered for bail.
To ensure an expeditious trial, the High Court directed the Maharashtra government to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor within 10 days.
The bench also ordered the police to complete the investigation after obtaining reports from the State Forensic Science Laboratory within 12 working days and to file the chargesheet within five days thereafter.
Further, the trial court has been directed to frame charges within one week of the filing of the chargesheet.
The High Court also instructed both the prosecution and defence to avoid seeking unnecessary adjournments once the trial begins so that proceedings can be concluded without avoidable delays.
Mhatre, a corporator of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), was initially granted bail by a court in Thane district on July 15.
However, on July 18, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter, stayed the bail order and directed Mhatre to surrender before the police.
The High Court had described the lower court's order as "perverse", observing that the magistrate had failed to adequately consider the seriousness of the allegations and Mhatre's criminal antecedents.
The bench noted that 18 assault cases had previously been registered against Mhatre, although he had been acquitted in 17 of them.
The case relates to an incident on July 6, when Mhatre and the other accused allegedly entered Shastri Nagar Hospital in Thane district and assaulted doctors following an argument over the alleged delay in treating a pregnant woman.
According to police, the confrontation began after the woman's family accused hospital staff of delaying medical treatment, following which the accused allegedly assaulted doctors on duty.
The incident sparked widespread outrage among the medical fraternity, with doctors' associations demanding stricter protection for healthcare workers and stronger action against those responsible for attacks on medical professionals.
(With inputs from PTI)
