High Court Orders Corporator Ramesh Mhatre to Surrender After Assault on Dombivli Doctors

The Bombay High Court has stayed the bail granted to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and three co-accused for physically assaulting three doctors at Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli. During a special Saturday hearing, a division bench of acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad ordered Mhatre to surrender to the Vishnunagar police station in Dombivli West by July 19 at 5 p.m.

The court initiated a suo motu action following public uproar over the assault of a lady doctor and two male doctors in the hospital's labor ward. According to the court's detailed order, the lady doctor resigned from her post out of fear after the incident. Police had arrested Mhatre for allegedly slapping and punching a doctor and assaulting a resident medical officer.

A local magistrate granted Mhatre bail on Tuesday, July 14. However, the High Court bench criticized the magistrate's decision, noting that the magistrate did not even notice that the accused was not interrogated after his first statement was recorded.

The bench also highlighted that the magistrate failed to consider Mhatre's history of 18 prior offences. "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 very serious and heinous nature," the bench remarked.

While Mhatre had been released, his co-accused—Ramesh Pawar, Pramod alias Prakash Nikam, and Akshay Karande—remain in custody. The High Court ordered that if Mhatre fails to surrender by the July 19 deadline, authorities are at liberty to initiate steps to attach his immovable properties.

Following submissions by Maharashtra Advocate General Milind Sathe, the bench also appealed to government and municipal doctors to call off a proposed strike scheduled for July 20, citing the larger interest of society and service to mankind. The High Court has scheduled the next hearing for July 22.