Shastri Nagar hospital assault case: chargesheet filed against Ramesh Mhatre, 4 others

Police have taken major action in the case of an alleged assault on doctors and medical staff at the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation's Shastri Nagar hospital. On Thursday, police filed a chargesheet against Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and four other accused in total before the Kalyan district and sessions court. Attention now turns to how the further judicial process in the case unfolds.

The chargesheet filed by police after completing their investigation names corporator Ramesh Mhatre along with four others: Ramesh Pawar, Pramod Nikam, Akshay Karande and Sadhana Karande. With the chargesheet filed, the case's judicial process will now move forward. Ramesh Mhatre is to be produced before Judge N. P. Vasade in the fast-track court, and it will be important to see what order the court gives at the hearing.

According to police, on July 6 it was alleged that a woman patient at Shastri Nagar hospital did not receive timely treatment. Following this, corporator Ramesh Mhatre and his associates gathered at the hospital in large numbers. It was then alleged that doctors and medical staff at the hospital were assaulted inhumanly. After the incident, police launched a thorough investigation into the matter.

During the investigation, police recorded statements from doctors, nurses and other eyewitnesses at the hospital. CCTV camera footage from the hospital premises and other available evidence were also included in the investigation. Based on the information gathered from these statements and the CCTV and other evidence, police prepared and submitted a chargesheet against the five accused before the court.

After surrendering in the case, Ramesh Mhatre was sent to Kalyan's Adharwadi central prison. About 20 days later, on August 7, the Bombay High Court granted him bail with certain strict conditions. Under the bail conditions, Ramesh Mhatre and three other male accused have been directed to stay outside Maharashtra. They are currently said to be staying at a resort in Anjuna, Goa. They are barred from entering Maharashtra until charges are framed.

The woman accused in the case, Sadhana Karande, however remains in Kalyan's Adharwadi prison since her arrest. With the chargesheet now filed, the case's legal process will proceed before the Kalyan district and sessions court. Attention is on the evidence in the chargesheet, the charges against the accused and the orders the court gives at the next hearing.