Supreme Court stays bail for Shiv Sena corporator in doctor assault case

The Supreme Court of India has stayed the bail granted to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who is accused of assaulting doctors at a municipal hospital in Thane, Maharashtra. The court ordered Mhatre to surrender within three days.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta emphasized the need to protect medical professionals, stating, “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 incident occurred on July 6 at Shastri Nagar Hospital after an altercation involving relatives of a pregnant woman regarding alleged delays in treatment. Mhatre and four others allegedly assaulted hospital staff, an event captured on CCTV footage that later went viral. The Supreme Court's decision follows an appeal by the Maharashtra government against a Bombay High Court order that had granted bail to the accused while directing a fast-tracked trial.