Thane Hospital Assault Case: Bombay HC Transfers Probe Against Shiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre To DCP

The Bombay High Court has ordered that the investigation into the assault of doctors at a Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) hospital be handed over to a Deputy Commissioner of Police, while refusing any interim relief to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, the main accused, and directing that a threatened complainant-doctor be given adequate police protection.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad was hearing a suo motu writ petition registered after Mhatre, an elected corporator, allegedly assaulted doctors at the civic hospital following a dispute over the treatment of a pregnant patient. The Court had earlier stayed his bail on July 18, and Mhatre surrendered before the concerned police station on July 19, within the twenty-four-hour window fixed by the Court.

Appearing for Mhatre, Senior Advocate Abad Ponda submitted, on instructions, that his client was willing to abide by conditions, including staying outside Maharashtra, until the charge-sheet was filed, to address the victims' apprehension of threats. He added that Mhatre's bail bonds remained intact and that he would obey any further directions to secure release from custody. Advocate Sana Raees Khan, appearing for Accused Nos. 2 to 4, adopted Ponda's submissions on behalf of her clients.

Senior Advocate Ashok Mundargi, appointed amicus curiae, told the Bench that the probe needed to be fast-tracked, noting that investigations have been completed swiftly in comparable cases before. He conceded that this was not a case where the accused could be kept behind bars indefinitely, but stressed that a free and fair investigation required adequate protection for victims and witnesses.

Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray further informed the Court that CCTV footage from both the police station and the civil hospital where Mhatre was admitted had been preserved and remained available for viewing. He also told the Bench that statements of all the victims, three nurses and two medical officers had already been recorded, with ten more witnesses still to be examined, and that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-III, Kalyan, would take over the probe within two days.

Advocate Akshay Bhalerao, appearing for one of the victims, told the Court that the male doctor continued receiving threats on his phone even after the assault, and that the accused had abused the doctors, including a woman doctor, in filthy language and warned of retaliation once they were released. He sought either that the complainant's statement be recorded at his native place, where he had fled out of fear, or that he be given adequate police protection to record it under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) (Section 164 of CrPC).

The Bench accepted the Prosecutor's statement and directed that the investigation stand transferred to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-III, Kalyan, with a direction to record the statements of the complainant, victims and remaining witnesses expeditiously, while ensuring adequate police protection. It directed its Registry to inform the Principal District Judge, Washim, to arrange for complainant Dr. Vaibhav Salunke's statement to be recorded before a Magistrate there under Section 183 BNSS (Section 164 of CrPC), to be transmitted thereafter to the investigating officer.

Advocate Sandeep Shinde, appearing virtually for KDMC, tendered a compilation of documents on record, while Senior Advocate Chirag Kamdar sought an adjournment citing personal difficulty. Ponda requested that the matter be posted after an affidavit and transcript referred to across the Bar were filed.

Earlier during the hearing, Acting Chief Justice Ghuge had orally remarked that elected representatives who canvass for votes promising service to the public cannot turn around and assault the very people who elected them, questioning why Mhatre received a "grand reception" from supporters upon his release on bail, according to reports of the hearing.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on Friday, July 31, 2026.

Case Title: High Court on its own Motion vs. Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre & Ors.

Date of Hearing: July 27, 2026

Bench: Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V. Ghuge and Justice Gautam A. Ankhad