Republic Investigation Exposes Ramesh Mhatre's Escape Plan: Sena Corporator Flees Mumbai Day After Bail On Medical Ground

A day after Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) corporator Ramesh Mhatre walked out of jail on bail, a Republic investigation has found that he left Mumbai altogether despite having sought his release partly on health grounds. According to a party worker who confirmed the development, Mhatre did not check into any hospital after his release, raising questions about the basis on which his bail plea was argued.

How the Bail Came About

The Kalyan Court granted Mhatre bail on Tuesday, ordering him to furnish a cash bond of Rs 50,000. He is the main accused in last week's assault on doctors and nursing staff at the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation-run Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli. In his bail application, Mhatre argued that he had no personal issue with the medical staff involved and claimed he had merely stepped in to assist local residents in his capacity as an elected representative.

Ramesh Mhatre’s lawyer, MK Qazi, said the court granted bail after hearing detailed arguments and addressing objections raised by the prosecution. Qazi explained that once the bail application was filed, the Investigating Officer and Assistant Public Prosecutor submitted their responses. During the proceedings, they raised several objections, all of which were countered in the defence’s arguments. After considering both sides, the court approved bail for the Shiv Sena leader.

He further alleged that the case has been given a political colour adding that they had filed an application highlighting Mhatre’s age, 73 years, and his medical condition, noting he survives on a single kidney and requires treatment every six hours. The court considered this request and directed police to ensure medical care is provided if he falls ill during custody.

The court granted bail to Ramesh Mhatre after taking into account his medical condition, noting that he had been hospitalised following his arrest.

His custody had been extended earlier in the week after he was remanded to judicial custody once his police custody period lapsed. His lawyer then filed for bail, and the matter was heard on Tuesday. The investigating officer and public prosecutor opposed the plea, pointing to Mhatre's history of prior criminal cases as grounds to keep him in custody. His defence team responded that he had been cleared or had cases against him dropped in nearly all previous matters, leaving just one other case still pending. The court ultimately sided with the defence and granted bail. Mhatre's lawyer, MK Qazi, later told reporters that the court ruled in his client's favour after hearing arguments from both sides on the objections raised by the prosecution.

What Led to the Arrest

Police say the trouble began when Mhatre and several associates allegedly assaulted two doctors and other hospital staff after a family was told to shift a newborn to a different facility for treatment. The attack triggered widespread anger and drew a sharp response from the Indian Medical Association, which threatened to shut down clinics and hospitals in the area unless authorities acted swiftly.

Acting on the backlash, police booked Mhatre and five others. Three associates were arrested on July 7, and Mhatre followed a day later. After his arrest, he complained of chest pain and was moved to Thane District Civil Hospital. When police asked the court for permission to produce him via video link citing his health, Judicial Magistrate First Class K S Katkade refused, insisting he appear in person which he did, brought to court from hospital under heavy police escort. He and three co-accused were initially sent to police custody until July 13.

All four, along with a woman supporter, face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita covering unlawful assembly, rioting, causing hurt, criminal intimidation, insulting a person with intent to provoke a breach of peace, and using force against a public servant on duty. In the aftermath, the two doctors allegedly attacked have both resigned from their positions.

A History That Goes Back Years

This isn't the first time Mhatre's conduct has come under scrutiny. An old video that resurfaced on social media shows him allegedly causing a disturbance at KDMC headquarters back in 2017, during the tenure of then-commissioner P. Velrasu, when he reportedly tried to force his way into the commissioner's office, sparking a chaotic scene inside the chamber. A case was registered against him over that episode at Kalyan Bazarpeth police station. In total, Mhatre now has 11 cases registered against him.

The core of Republic's investigation is straightforward: if health was cited as a reason to secure bail, why did Mhatre skip a hospital stay and leave the city entirely within a day of his release? With a party worker confirming his departure from Mumbai and no record of any subsequent medical admission, the case highlights how influential political figures navigate the legal process compared to ordinary citizens even as the underlying assault case, and the resignations of the doctors involved, continue to cast a shadow over the Dombivli hospital where it all began.

Read More: Dombivli Doctor Assault Case: Kalyan Court Grants Bail to Shiv Sena Corporator Ramesh Mhatre on a Rs 50,000 Bond