Sena Corporator Who Assaulted Doctors Surrenders Day After Court Cancels Bail

Ramesh Mhatre, the Shiv Sena corporator who had assaulted a woman doctor inside a Maharashtra hospital, surrendered before the police on Sunday, a day after the Bombay High Court cancelled his bail.

He was later sent to judicial custody till August 3.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad overturned the Kalyan magistrate court's bail to Mhatre, noting that the lower court had ignored the fact that the accused was named in 18 criminal cases, including murder and attempt to murder.

"Even though he was acquitted in 17 cases, the court ought to have considered the fact that he was named in 18 cases, some of which were of a very serious and heinous nature," the bench had observed.

The court also asked doctors to reconsider their decision to strike on July 20 in connection with the assault case.

Also read: Sena Corporator Who Assaulted Doctors To Go Back To Jail, Court Cancels Bail

The Indian Medical Association, the largest doctors' body in the country, has announced a 24-hour shutdown of medical facilities in Maharashtra.

On July 6, Mhatre barged into a hospital in Thane and assaulted two doctors after they allegedly refused to admit a newborn into the NICU facility because it was full.

He later spoke to NDTV and refused to express remorse or apologise. He claimed that he was merely helping a woman and her child.

Also read: Woman Doctor Slapped By Corporator Resigns After Colleague Quit Due To "Fear"

"I did not attack the woman doctor at the hospital," the corporator said, adding that he only hit the doctor's hand to get her off the phone. "I swatted her phone as she was not listening to us. I only tried to get her off the phone," he said.

After NDTV prominently covered the row, the corporator was arrested on July 8 and came out on bail on July 14.