Bombay High Court Cancels Ramesh Mhatre’s Bail in Doctors’ Assault Case; Orders Immediate Surrender
In a significant judicial intervention, the Bombay High Court on Saturday cancelled the bail granted to Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) corporator Ramesh Mhatre in the high-profile Dombivli hospital assault case. The court directed Mhatre, who had already been released on bail by a lower court, to surrender before the authorities by 5 p.m. on Sunday. The High Court’s order came during a special sitting convened to urgently examine the matter, reflecting the seriousness with which the judiciary viewed the allegations.
The case stems from an alleged attack on doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel at the KDMC-run Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli. According to the prosecution, Ramesh Mhatre and several associates allegedly entered the hospital premises and assaulted healthcare workers following a dispute related to the treatment of a patient. The incident sparked widespread outrage across Maharashtra, with medical associations condemning the violence and demanding strict legal action against those responsible.
The High Court took suo motu cognizance of the incident after media reports highlighted both the alleged assault and the subsequent grant of bail. A Division Bench observed that the allegations involved a serious attack on medical professionals performing their public duties and expressed concern over the circumstances under which bail had been granted. The judges stayed the bail order, directed Mhatre to surrender, and ruled that the remaining accused, who were still in custody, would continue to remain behind bars pending further proceedings.
During the hearing, the Bench also appealed to doctors and healthcare workers to reconsider their proposed strike, assuring them that the judiciary had intervened promptly to uphold the rule of law. The court emphasized that violence against medical professionals cannot be tolerated and stressed the need to maintain public confidence in healthcare institutions while ensuring that legal processes are followed rigorously.
The bail cancellation marks a dramatic reversal of the order passed just days earlier by a Kalyan magistrate court, which had granted Mhatre bail on a cash bond after his arrest in connection with the hospital assault. That decision had drawn criticism from sections of the medical fraternity, who argued that it undermined the seriousness of attacks on healthcare workers.
The High Court’s latest order is being viewed as an important judicial message that assaults on doctors and hospital staff will be treated with utmost seriousness, regardless of the political status of the accused. Legal experts believe the ruling reinforces the principle that the liberty of an accused must be balanced against the gravity of the alleged offence, the interests of justice, and public confidence in the criminal justice system.
The case continues to attract significant public and political attention, with investigators expected to proceed further after Mhatre’s surrender. The High Court’s intervention has also reignited discussions on the need for stronger legal protection for healthcare professionals, who have repeatedly faced incidents of violence while discharging their duties. As the matter moves forward, the proceedings are likely to be closely watched for their broader implications on public safety, accountability, and the administration of criminal justice in cases involving attacks on frontline medical workers.
