The Supreme Court on Monday said that people who assault doctors and hospital staff “do not deserve to roam on the streets even for a minute”, forcing a Maharashtra corporator accused of attacking three municipal doctors in Thane to withdraw his plea after the bench indicated it could immediately examine whether his bail should be cancelled.
A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Sukrya Mhatre, when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for him, sought permission to withdraw the matter. Mhatre was specifically ordered to stay within the jurisdiction of the Anjuna police station in Goa. The high court had also directed the Maharashtra government to provide adequate protection to the three doctors who were allegedly assaulted.
The Bombay High Court had on August 7 granted bail to Mhatre and three others, while directing them to remain outside Maharashtra until the filing of the chargesheet.
But the bench said that the court needed to send out a larger message against attacks on medical professionals. “A message needs to go…not only to these people but to everyone and as a deterrent…These people do not deserve to be out at all…Such people do not deserve to roam freely on the streets even for a minute,” it said.
It also took note of reports about the fresh assault on doctors and hospital staff in Palghar and directed that the matter be listed on September 16. The exchange came days after the Supreme Court had already indicated that it was inclined to cancel Mhatre’s bail over the alleged July 6 assault at the Shastri Nagar General Hospital in Dombivli. The court accordingly issued notice on the Maharashtra government’s appeal challenging the bail granted to Mhatre and three other accused. With Rohatgi and other lawyers for Mhatre stating that they wished to withdraw the petitions, the court allowed the withdrawal.
