The Supreme Court on Monday (September 28, 2026) cancelled the bail of Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre, who is facing trial for allegedly attacking three municipal doctors in Maharashtra’s Thane, and directed him to surrender before the police within three days.

“The message should go out loud and clear that the medical fraternity cannot be touched. They serve people and cannot be attacked in this manner,” a Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said while hearing the Maharashtra government’s appeal seeking cancellation of his bail.

The court also noted that a similar case involving members of the same party had surfaced subsequently, referring to an incident in Palghar where 17 Shiv Sena workers were booked for allegedly assaulting hospital staff on September 5 following a dispute over the treatment of a 19-year-old man injured during a Dahi Handi celebration.

The bail cancellation comes weeks after a magistrate court in Kalyan framed charges against Mr. Mhatre and four other accused. Mr. Mhatre pleaded not guilty, paving the way for the trial.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mr. Mhatre, argued that the cases against him were politically motivated. He also pointed out that two witnesses had already been examined and that the complainant, a woman doctor, was scheduled to depose on October 3.

“The trial has started, and there is no obstruction… This is a cancellation of bail. A higher standard has to be met,” Mr. Dave said.

The Bench, however, pointed to Mr. Mhatre’s criminal antecedents, noting that the present case was the 19th criminal case registered against him, and refused to grant him any relief.

Case in brief

The case stems from an alleged assault on three doctors at the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation-run Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli on July 6.

According to the prosecution, Mr. Mhatre and others allegedly attacked the doctors after they advised that a pregnant woman be taken to another hospital as all beds in the neonatal intensive care unit were occupied.

The incident prompted the Bombay High Court to initiate suo motu proceedings. On July 18, it stayed the bail granted to Mr. Mhatre and the other accused by the trial court. They surrendered the following day and were lodged at Aadharwadi Jail in Kalyan.

The High Court, however, granted bail to Mr. Mhatre and some of the other accused on August 7, subject to stringent conditions. They were directed to remain outside Maharashtra until the commencement of the trial, except when required to enter the State for the framing of charges, and to stay away from the complainant doctors.

The High Court also directed the State government to appoint a special public prosecutor and constitute a fast-track court to try the case.

Mr. Mhatre subsequently moved the Supreme Court challenging some of the conditions imposed on him, but withdrew the appeal after the apex court expressed strong disapproval of the alleged assault and observed that people involved in such incidents “do not deserve to roam on the streets even for a minute”.

The Maharashtra government thereafter approached the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of his bail.

Mr. Mhatre and four others have been charged with offences including assault or use of criminal force to deter public servants from discharging their duties, criminal intimidation, intentional insult, and voluntarily causing hurt under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The police have also invoked provisions of the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010.

A woman accused in the case, Sadhana Sanjay Karande, was denied bail by the Kalyan court last week and has remained in Aadharwadi Jail for around two-and-a-half months.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had taken a serious view of the alleged assault on the medical professionals.

“This is a case where the High Court was fully justified in taking suo motu cognisance and staying the bail order… The medical fraternity was threatened like this. Absolutely not justified. You have no respect for the medical fraternity. You cannot imagine the trauma a person faces when a mob attacks,” the Bench had remarked.