Those who challenge doctors do not deserve to roam free: Supreme Court

File photo of Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre of Shiva Sena. Source: Instagram/@rameshhatreofficial

The Supreme Court on Monday (Sep 07, 2026) said those who attack doctors and hospital staff “do not deserve to roam the streets for even a minute”, prompting a Maharashtra corporator accused of assaulting three city doctors in Thane to withdraw his plea after the Bench indicated it could review the cancellation of his bail.

Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta were hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre challenging the Bombay High Court’s July 18 order to keep the bail granted to him by the court as well as its August 7 order imposing strict conditions on his release, including that he stay out of the Mahaencemrash trial.

“This is their modus operandi. These people do not deserve even a minute to roam the streets,” the Bench observed, indicating that it intended to issue a notice on the Maharashtra government’s plea challenging the grant of bail to Mr. Mhatra.

The court also referred to the recent incident in Palghar where 17 Shiv Sena workers were booked for allegedly assaulting staff at a hospital on September 5 following a dispute over the treatment of a 19-year-old man injured during a Dahi Handi celebration.

“We will issue a notice to appeal to the state. Yesterday again the same group of people attacked doctors and hospital staff in Palghar,” the Bench said, adding that there seemed to be a “tendency to these things”.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mr. Mhatra, clarified that those booked in the Palghar incident were not the same persons accused in the Thane case. He then asked for permission to withdraw Mr Mhatre’s plea, saying he wanted to “put this to rest here”.

“The writing on the wall is clear. That’s why I would like to withdraw,” Mr Rohatgi said.

But Justice Nath said the court needed to send a bigger message against attacks on medical professionals. “Not only these people, but everyone needs to be sent a message as a deterrent. People like this don’t deserve a minute to roam the streets freely,” he said.

Accordingly, the Bench issued a notice of appeal by the Maharashtra government challenging the bail granted to Mr. Mhatra and three other accused and directed that they be listed on September 28. It also allowed Mr. Mhatra to withdraw his petitions.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had indicated that it was leaning towards revoking Mr Mhatre’s bail, observing that those who “have no respect for the medical fraternity” should not be granted bail. However, she decided to wait for formal pleas from the Maharashtra government seeking cancellation of the bail.

The case stems from the alleged assault of three doctors at Shastri Nagar Hospital in Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation in Dombivli in Thane district on 6

Mr Mhatre and others allegedly attacked the doctors after they recommended that the pregnant woman be transferred to another hospital as all the beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (ICU) were occupied.

The Bombay High Court subsequently initiated suo motu proceedings and on July 18 stayed the bail granted to Mr. Mhatra and the other accused by the trial court. They surrendered the next day and were lodged in Aadharwadi Jail in Kalyan.

However, on August 7, the high court granted bail to Mr. Mhatra and some other accused on strict conditions. It ordered them to stay out of Maharashtra pending trial while allowing them to enter the state to face charges. They were also ordered to stay away from the complaining doctors.

The Supreme Court further ordered the Maharashtra government to provide adequate protection to the three doctors allegedly assaulted.

“In a democratic government, the principle applies that an elected representative is by the people and for the people. If an elected representative is accused of attacking his own voters, such a situation will necessarily disrupt the structure of democracy,” the Supreme Court noted.

Published – 07 Sep 2026 13:28 IST