- Mhatre was granted bail on July 14
- The bench noted that the Shiv Sena corporator had been named in 18 criminal cases
- The judges also took note of the decision taken by doctors in Maharashtra to resort to a strike on July 22
Taking a stern view of the attack on doctors and other staff members by Ramesh Mhatre, the Bombay High Court has cancelled the Shiv Sena corporator's bail and asked him to surrender by 5 pm on Sunday.
In a special Saturday sitting, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognisance of the bail granted to Mhatre and his aides.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad noted that the magistrate's court in Kalyan, which granted bail to Mhatre, did not properly consider the fact that the corporator from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena was named in 18 criminal cases, including murder and attempt to murder.
READ | Medical Body IMA Warns Maharashtra Hospitals' Shutdown Over Attack On Doctors
"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 very serious and heinous nature," the bench observed.
The judges also took note of the decision taken by doctors in Maharashtra, especially those working in civic and government hospitals, to resort to a strike on July 22.
After cancelling the bail granted to Mhatre and his aides, the bench urged the doctors to reconsider their decision, especially in view of their "service to mankind".
On Friday, the Indian Medical Association announced a 24-hour shutdown of hospitals in Maharashtra on July 22 to protest the attack on medical staff by Mhatre. Emergency and essential medical services will continue during this period, the association had said.
Attack, Arrest, Bail
Mhatre and his associates had stormed into the hospital in Dombivli in Thane district on July 6 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 before his arrest, Mhatre expressed no remorse and refused to apologise, insisting that he had helped a woman and her child.
READ | Sena Corporator Who Assaulted 2 Doctors At Thane Hospital Gets Bail
"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 added.
The doctors who were assaulted said they were receiving threats.
The corporator was arrested on July 8 and granted bail on July 14.
