Mumbai:
A court in Kalyan has dismissed an application to allow Ramesh Mhatre, the Shiv Sena corporator who assaulted two doctors and other staff members at a Dombivli hospital, to appear for a hearing
Mhatre, who carried out the assault with his aides on Monday, was arrested on Wednesday after public outrage over his actions. He was taken to the Thane Civil Hospital soon after because his health allegedly deteriorated.
Doctors said Mhatre is being treated under the supervision of experts in the ICU of the Thane Civil Hospital. The corporator, they said, has only one kidney, his blood pressure (BP) has increased and he has also been complaining of frequent vomiting.
On Thursday, the police filed an application before the court in Kalyan to allow Mhatre to be produced through video conferencing, citing his health condition.
The defence also made the same request and pointed out that the corporator is 73 years old. It urged the court to grant the police custody of Mhatre till Friday as the custody of the other three accused also ends on the same day, and they can be produced together.
The court rejected the application and said Mhatre must be produced before it physically. The judge made it clear that neither police nor judicial custody would be granted till this is done.
Asked what happens next, Advocate AY Patki, who is representing Mhatre, explained that the corporator is not in police custody but in the confinement of the police while he is undergoing treatment after his arrest. This, the advocate said, will continue until the corporator remains in the hospital.
Doctors said a medical bulletin on the corporator’s condition will be issued by Thursday evening or Friday morning and a decision on a possible discharge will be taken only after that.
