Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, who is accused in the assault case at Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli, on Sunday surrendered before the Police following the Bombay High Court order. The High Court had cancelled Mhatre's bail and directed him to surrender by 5 PM. He later appeared before a Kalyan court under heavy police security, where further legal proceedings are underway.
Earlier on Saturday, the Bombay High Court had cancelled the bail of the corporator in the assault case, in which he is accused of assaulting doctors and medical staff of a civic hospital in Thane. The High Court directed Mhatre to surrender by 5 pm on July 19, adding that the next hearing in the case will take place on July 22.
Police arrest fifth accused in the case
In another significant move in the case, the police have taken action against another suspect. According to sources, the fifth accused in the case, Sadhana Karande, has been arrested. Sadhana Karande, the mother of Priyanka Udhamale, who was undergoing treatment at Shastrinagar Hospital, was also named as an accused in the assault case. After she was seen in the hospital's CCTV footage during the incident, a case was registered against her. Earlier, the police had issued her a notice but did not arrest her because her daughter was still receiving treatment at the hospital.
However, after the Bombay High Court took a strict view of the matter, the police detained Karande from her residence last night. Following Priyanka Udhamale's discharge from the hospital, Karande is scheduled to be produced before a court today. The High Court's intervention has accelerated the investigation, and further action against the accused is expected in the coming days.
The public outrage against Mhatre
A video of Mhatre and his associates assaulting two doctors and a medical staff member of the civic hospital earlier this month drew condemnation and outrage from the public. They assaulted the staff after a family was advised to shift a newborn to another facility. Following the incident, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) threatened to shut clinics and hospitals in the area, after which a case was registered against Mhatre and five others.
(With Inputs from Sunil Sharma).
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