Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre gets bail in KDMC doctor assault case; investigation and trial to continue
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre gets bail in KDMC doctor assault case; investigation and trial to continue")
Police take the accused Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre into their custody till July 13 following the remand by the Kalyan Sessions Court for allegedly assaulting doctors and medical staff at a Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC)-run hospital, in Dombivli on June 10. Photograph: (ANI)
The alleged assault, reportedly triggered by a dispute over the unavailability of NICU beds, sparked statewide protests by doctors and renewed calls for stronger protection of healthcare workers
A court in Maharashtra's Kalyan on Tuesday granted bail to Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting doctors and hospital staff at a civic-run hospital in Dombivli earlier this month.
The case had sparked outrage across the state and triggered protests by the medical fraternity over the safety of healthcare workers.
The court granted Mhatre bail on a cash bond of ₹50,000. While the bail order allows him to be released from custody, the criminal proceedings against him will continue.
A detailed copy of the court's order is awaited.
Mhatre was arrested after a video of the alleged assault at Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation's (KDMC) Shastri Nagar Hospital went viral on social media. According to police, the violence erupted after the family of a newborn was informed that the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) had no vacant beds and the infant would have to be shifted to another medical facility. The corporator and his supporters allegedly assaulted doctors and hospital staff following an argument.
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The incident led to widespread condemnation from doctors' associations and healthcare workers across Maharashtra. Doctors, nurses and paramedical staff at KDMC hospitals staged protests, suspending routine services while continuing emergency treatment. The attack also prompted renewed demands for stricter implementation of laws protecting healthcare professionals from violence.
The two doctors allegedly assaulted during the incident later resigned from their posts, with their families citing trauma and concerns over workplace safety.
With the court granting bail, the investigation is set to continue. Police are expected to complete the probe by recording statements of witnesses, collecting electronic and forensic evidence, and filing a chargesheet before the trial court within the stipulated legal timeframe.
Once the chargesheet is filed, the court will decide whether to frame charges based on the evidence before commencing trial.
Legal experts note that the grant of bail does not amount to an acquittal. Mhatre will be required to comply with the conditions imposed by the court and appear before it whenever directed during the course of the proceedings.
As of Tuesday evening, neither the assaulted doctors nor the KDMC hospital administration had issued an official statement on the bail order.
