‘Was helping citizens, had no grudge against doctor’: Shiv Sena corporator seeks bail

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Ramesh Mhatre was arrested for assaulting a doctor and nurses at the Dombivli civic hospital. (Special arrangement photo, Image enhanced using AI)Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting a doctor and nurses at the Dombivli civic hospital, applied for bail citing that he did not have any personal grudge against the doctor and was “helping citizens in his capacity as a public representative.”The bail plea cited health concerns faced by Mhatre including that he only has one kidney and suffers from high blood pressure.On Monday, Mhatre and three associates, who were also arrested in the case, were sent to judicial custody.The Thane city police presented Mhatre before a court via video conferencing citing possible law and order problems.Read | ‘Have resigned, don’t want to go back’: Thane doctor assaulted by Shiv Sena corporator recounts ordeal“Mhatre and his three associates were produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody. His lawyer has applied for bail” a senior officer said.Mhatre’s lawyer Sanjay Dhanke said that since there was no recovery to be made from the accused by the police, they did not seek his custody. Shastrinagar Hospital in Dombivli, Thane; (inset) Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre.The lawyer said that the hospital will carry out the corporator’s medical test and he will be sent to Aadharwadi prison in Kalyan if he is found to be fit.Story continues below this adDhanke said that in their bail plea, the grounds they have cited is that the corporator did not know the doctor from before and hence did not have any personal grudge.“We have cited that his actions were in the capacity of a public representative helping a citizen who had gone to the hospital but was not being helped by the doctor and staff there,” Dhanke said.He added that apart from this, they have cited health concerns faced by Mhatre, who only has one kidney and suffers from high blood pressure among other issues. Dhanke said that after filing the bail plea, the court has sought the investigating officer’s say on it, following which it will given an order.The incident related to the case occurred on July 6 after a dispute over the treatment of a pregnant woman after the doctors advised that she be shifted to another hospital as Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) beds at the facility were fully occupied.Story continues below this adAngered by this, the family of the patient contacted corporator Mhatre who allegedly assaulted the doctor and staffers at the hospital.The Shiv Sena has faced strong criticism over the incident from the Opposition leaders with the Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors observing a statewide black ribbon protest across government and semi government colleges and hospitals.