Mumbai: There was no immediate Bombay high court relief on Friday for Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre (73), accused and arrested for allegedly beating up three doctors, including a woman, at Shastri Nagar Municipal Hospital in Dombivli on July 6.A bench of Acting Chief Justice R V Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad posted the matter on August 6, by which time the public prosecutor said all remaining four witnesses’ statements would be recorded, photographs and voice samples of accused taken, and their test identification (ID) parade conducted.State advocate general Milind Sathe said the informant doctor, who left for his native town in Washim due to “sheer fear of another attack” and whose statement was recorded before a magistrate there, had said he would come to Mumbai if given police protection. The state will give such protection, Sathe assured. The doctor has also tendered his resignation, Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) informed the HC. Senior counsel Ashok Mundargi, as amicus curiae, said any release right now may impede the accused identification.Senior counsel Aabad Ponda, representing Mhatre, and advocate Sana Raees Khan, for the three co-accused, argued for their immediate release. Ponda submitted there was no provision in law not to grant bail till an ID parade is conducted. He said Mhatre was willing to be put to strict conditions, including being placed out of state with two visits to a local police station.The informant doctor intervened in the matter that the HC had suo motu taken up on July 18, and said he had received numerous calls. The HC directed the DCP (zone 3) Kalyan to collect the numbers and track the callers. But Ponda contended that no threats alleged to be received by doctors can be attributed to Mhatre post his arrest and said the calls shown were limited to July 7-8. “No one now, after July 18, will dare flout the law. The law is far above any political sentiment or overenthusiastic reaction to get voters’ attention…,” Ponda added.Indian Medical Association, represented by senior counsel SU Kamdar, said the female doctor, whose resignation KDMC has not yet accepted, must be given police protection so that she can attend to her duties. When he said she has received 37-38 calls, Ponda interjected to say ‘none’ after July 8, adding that they were all from unknown numbers. He said “anyone could take advantage of the situation.’’
