The Supreme Court on Tuesday orally said that it was inclined to cancel the bail granted to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre in a case concerning an assault on doctors and hospital staff in Dombivli [Ramesh Sukrya Mahatre vs High Court of Judicature at Bombay].

The Bombay High Court had earlier stayed a trial court's decision to grant Mhatre bail in the case. However, on August 7, the High Court lifted the stay and allowed Mhatre's release from judicial custody, subject to stringent conditions.

Among other bail conditions, the High Court had ordered Mhatre to stay outside Maharashtra till a chargesheet is filed in the case by the police. It had also fixed timelines for completing the investigation and and trial.

Mhatre has now moved the Supreme Court challenging these directives.

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Augustine George Masih heard the petition today.

After hearing preliminary submissions, the Court orally said that it was inclined to revoke the grant of bail in this case. However, the Bench said it would await the Maharashtra government's plea seeking the cancellation of Mhatre’s bail before passing a verdict.

“Last evening, while reading the file, I had made up my mind to uphold the (High Court's) first order (staying Mhatre's bail) and set aside the second order (ordering his release on bail). Let us wait for the State’s plea seeking cancellation of bail,” the Bench said.

The standing counsel for State of Maharashtra, Siddharth Dharmadhikari, informed the Court that a bail cancellation plea would be filed during the day.

The Court then posted the matter for further consideration on September 7 while saying that the State's appeal would be listed the same day.

Mhatre was arrested in July for allegedly assaulting doctors and hospital staff at the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation's (KMDC) Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli on July 6, 2026.

Although a sessions court granted him bail on July 14, the Bombay High Court took suo motu cognisance of the same and stayed the bail order after a special sitting on July 18, Saturday.

On August 7, the High Court lifted the stay and ordered Mhatre’s release subject to stringent conditions. The High Court also transferred the case to a fast-track court and prescribed timelines for completing the investigation, filing the chargesheet and proceeding with the trial.

Mhatre has challenged both High Court orders before the Supreme Court.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Mhatre, argued today that the manner in which the Bombay High Court intervened in the matter was completely wrong.

“Your Lordships may see what has happened. There cannot be a condition requiring the chargesheet to be filed within ten days. How can such a condition be imposed?” Rohatgi submitted.

“You are an elected representative. The High Court was completely justified in taking suo motu cognisance and staying the bail order,” the Court replied.

Rohatgi maintained that the High Court's first order, by which Mhatre's bail was stayed, was “completely wrong."

The top court, however, expressed that the High Court was completely justified in staying the grant of bail.

“No, no. We will confirm that order. It was completely justified. The medical fraternity is being threatened like this. Who will come to the aid of the people at large? These kinds of people do not deserve it. They have no respect for the medical fraternity. Imagine the trauma when a mob attacks. You cannot enter a hospital and hit any random person," the Bench remarked.

Rohatgi submitted that Mhatre had no personal animosity against the doctors.

“Your video is already viral,” the Court replied.

The Bench then said it would wait for the Maharashtra government to file its plea seeking the cancellation of Mhatre’s bail.

The Bench listed Mhatre's plea in September 7.

It directed that the State’s bail cancellation plea, if filed in the meantime, also be listed on the same day.

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