SC Stays Bail Granted to Corporator in Hospital Assault Case
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta admitted the Maharashtra government’s appeal against the bail order.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Bombay High Court’s order granting bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who is accused of assaulting doctors at a municipal hospital in Thane district. It directed him to surrender within three days.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta admitted the Maharashtra government’s appeal against the bail order.
“The message should go out loud and clear that the medical fraternity cannot be touched. They serve people and cannot be attacked in this manner,” the bench said. It also referred to another incident involving members of the same party after the alleged assault.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mhatre, said the trial had begun and two witnesses had been examined. The complainant, a woman doctor, was due to testify on October 3. There had been no obstruction to the trial, he said.
Advocate Rajeev Kumar Panday, appearing for the doctor, said Mhatre had criminal antecedents, with 19 cases, including the present one, pending against him. Dave disputed that account, saying the cases were politically motivated and Mhatre had been acquitted in 18 of them.
“He has already spent some time in custody and is cooperating with the trial. The offence is magistrate triable and the maximum sentence is five years. Kindly consider that two witnesses have already been examined out of the total 60,” Dave submitted.
Justice Mehta said the allegations were serious because an attack on doctors affected public order. The bench said it was not commenting on the High Court’s direction for a speedy trial.
The alleged assault took place at Shastri Nagar Hospital on July 6 after relatives of a pregnant woman accused hospital staff of delaying her treatment. According to the prosecution, Mhatre and four others went to the hospital and assaulted doctors after an argument.
On August 7, the High Court granted bail to Mhatre and the four other accused and directed that the trial be completed within a fixed period. It imposed conditions, including a direction that they stay outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet was filed.
