'Your duty is to serve people, not assault them': Bombay HC denies bail relief to Shiv Sena Corporator

Mumbai: The alleged assault on doctors and hospital staff at Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC)-run Shastrinagar Hospital by a Shiv Sena corporator and his supporters has come under intense legal scrutiny, with the Bombay High Court strongly condemning the incident and refusing to lift the stay on his bail order.

The incident took place on July 6 after the family of a newborn alleged that the hospital had refused to admit the infant because no bed was available in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Angered by the situation, the corporator and his supporters allegedly barged into the hospital and assaulted two doctors, including a woman doctor, along with other hospital staff.

Also Read:Shiv Sena Corporator granted bail in Thane Hospital Assault Case

According to the news reports, during the hearing, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ravindra Ghuge and Justice Gautam Ankhad refused to lift the stay on the bail previously granted to the corporator by a sessions court. The judges expressed particular concern over the alleged assault on a woman doctor, remarking that it was "surprising" that the victims had survived the attack. The bench further observed that the corporator should remain in custody for some more time.

Appearing for the corporator, advocate Sana Raees Khan argued that his client was a 73-year-old man suffering from several ailments and that the police no longer required his custody.

However, the court questioned the corporator’s petition seeking bail on the grounds of his age and observed that he was seen behaving like a 25-year-old in the assault video. "You are involved in social work. Your duty is to serve people, not assault them," the court said. It also questioned whether the corporator would also attack a lawyer if one refused to represent him, reports NDTV.

Following the incident, the corporator defended his conduct by denying that he had assaulted the woman doctor. He claimed that he had only hit her mobile phone because she was not listening to those accompanying him. "I slapped her phone as she was not listening to us. I only tried to get her off the phone," he said.

The corporator was arrested on July 8 and was granted bail by a sessions court on July 14. However, the Bombay High Court subsequently stayed the bail order and directed him to surrender. In compliance with the court's directive, the corporator surrendered before the police and was later remanded to judicial custody by a court in Kalyan until August 3.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that days after the alleged assault on doctors and medical staff at Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC)-run Shastrinagar Hospital, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra announced a 24-hour statewide suspension of routine medical services on July 20, 2026.

The High Court is scheduled to continue hearing the matter on Monday.

Also Read:IMA Maharashtra calls 24-hour statewide strike on July 20 over Thane Hospital assault