The Bombay High Court on Friday approved bail for Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, charged with assaulting doctors at a civic hospital in Maharashtra’s Thane area. The court also ordered the trial to proceed quickly and finish within a set period. Bail was likewise approved for four other individuals in the assault incident that caused widespread anger last month, according to PTI. The events began on 6 July when Mhatre and the others reportedly argued with and attacked doctors at Shastri Nagar Hospital over claims of delayed care for a pregnant patient. Mhatre, a member of the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation, had received bail from a Thane district court on 15 July. The High Court later reviewed the matter on its own initiative, paused the bail on 18 July, and required his surrender to police; he has remained in custody since. The court called the lower court’s decision flawed and noted insufficient attention to the accused’s prior record, which included 18 assault cases with acquittals in 17. A two-judge panel led by Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad set strict rules, requiring the accused to stay outside the state until the chargesheet is filed. They may return only after charges are framed and must avoid contacting witnesses or altering evidence. The court stressed that an elected representative assaulting voters undermines democracy. Bail was granted partly because the probe is advancing rapidly and the accused have already served time in custody. The state was told to name a special prosecutor within 10 days. Police must file the chargesheet within five days of finishing the investigation and receiving forensic reports, due in 12 working days. Charges must be framed within one week of the chargesheet, and both sides must avoid unnecessary delays once the trial starts.
