- Ramesh Mhatre was granted bail by Bombay High Court in the doctor assault case and released today
- Mhatre stared at NDTV reporters and said he will abide by the court's decision before leaving for Goa
- The court ordered fast-tracking of the trial and granted bail to four other accused in the case
Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre was released from jail this evening after getting bail from the Bombay High Court in the doctor assault case. He gave a stiff stare to NDTV's questions following his early release.
The bail process was moved from Friday to Saturday, a court holiday, despite originally being scheduled for Monday.
Mhatre was released at 4.30 pm, an hour ahead of the typical 5.30 pm to 6 pm release window, sparking renewed concerns over potential VIP treatment. An Innova car and several workers waited outside the jail's gate and greeted the corporator immediately upon his release.
Before making his first statement after being released, Mhatre directed an intense, fixed stare toward the NDTV crew.
He said the case is now before the Bombay High Court and affirmed his commitment to abide by whatever decision the court makes. Following his media interaction, he boarded his vehicle and left for Goa, where he intends to remain until the police file the chargesheet in the doctor assault case.
While granting bail, the court said the trial must be fast-tracked and completed in a time-bound manner. It also granted bail to four other accused in the assault case that had triggered a massive outrage last month.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad imposed strict conditions on Mhatre and the other accused and ordered them to stay outside Maharashtra until the chargesheet in the case is filed.
The bench in its order noted that an elected corporator is believed to be "for the people and by the people". "If such an elected person assaults his own voters, then it is an assault on the fabric of the democracy itself," the court said.
"However, considering the fact that the investigation is now being carried out at a fast pace and the accused have now spent some time behind bars, we feel bail can be granted," the court said.
"The accused will be allowed to return to Maharashtra only when the trial court frames charges in the case. Even then, they shall not contact the witnesses in the case or tamper with any evidence," it said.
On July 6, Mhatre and the other accused gathered at a hospital and assaulted doctors after an argument over alleged delay in the treatment of a woman patient. The incident took place at Shastri Nagar Hospital after family members of the pregnant woman accused hospital staff of delaying treatment.
