- Ramesh Mhatre was arrested on Wednesday for assaulting two doctors and other staff at a hospital in Dombivli
- Doctors said Mhatre is being treated under the supervision of experts at the Thane Civil Hospital
- The assault had taken place on Monday
A court in Kalyan has dismissed an application to allow Ramesh Mhatre, the Shiv Sena corporator who assaulted two doctors and other staff members at a Dombivli hospital, to appear for a hearing via video conferencing because of ill health.
Mhatre, who carried out the assault with his aides on Monday, was arrested on Wednesday following public outrage over his actions. He was admitted to the Thane Civil Hospital soon after because his health allegedly deteriorated.
Doctors said Mhatre is being treated under the supervision of experts in the ICU. The corporator, they said, has only one kidney, his blood pressure (BP) has increased, and has also been complaining of frequent vomiting.
On Thursday, the police filed an application before the court in Kalyan to allow Mhatre to be produced through video conferencing, citing his medical condition.
READ | Woman Doctor Assaulted By Sena Man Resigns After Colleague Quits Due To "Fear"
The defence made the same request and pointed out that the corporator is 73 years old. It also urged the court to grant the police custody of Mhatre till Friday as the custody of the other three accused also ends on the same day, and they could be produced together.
The court rejected the application and said Mhatre must be produced before it physically. The judge made it clear that neither police nor judicial custody would be granted till this is done.
Asked what happens next, Advocate AY Patki, who is representing Mhatre, explained that the corporator is not in police custody but in the confinement of the police while he is undergoing treatment after his arrest. This, the advocate said, will continue until the corporator remains in the hospital.
Doctors said a medical bulletin on the corporator's condition will be issued by Thursday evening or Friday morning and a decision on a possible discharge will be taken only after that.
Assault
Mhatre, who belongs to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and his aides had stormed into the Dombivli hospital after a family had complained that their newborn was asked to be taken to another facility as the NICU was full.
A video showed the men assaulting two doctors, including a woman, and other staff members.
Speaking to NDTV on Wednesday, Mhatre expressed no remorse and refused to apologise, insisting that he had helped a woman and her child.
READ | "Will Never Go Back": Doctor Assaulted By Sena Corporator Quits, Leaves Thane
"I did not attack the woman doctor at the hospital," the corporator asserted, adding that he only hit the doctor's hand to get her off the phone. "I slapped her phone as she was not listening to us. I only tried to get her off the phone," he said.
The doctors who were assaulted said they were receiving threats and have resigned from their posts.
