Mumbai, August 7: The Bombay High Court has granted bail to Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and others booked for an alleged assault on three municipal doctors in Thane.

The High Court, however, has imposed a strict condition that Mhatre and others will not enter Maharashtra till the chargesheet is filed by the police and charges are framed in the case. They will have to stay away from the complainant doctors.

The case pertains to the July 6 when corporator Mhatre and others allegedly assaulted three doctors after they advised shifting a pregnant woman from the Kalyan Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC)-run Dombivli Municipal Shastri Nagar Hospital as all NICU beds were occupied, which triggered widespread outrage among the medical fraternity.

Mhatre was arrested under Sections 132 and 121(1) after a case was registered at Vishnunagar Police Station in Dombivli. On July 14, a trial court granted bail to Mhatre.

The High Court on July 18 stayed the bail granted to Mhatre by a trial court after initiating a suo motu plea and directed him to surrender, raising concerns over the doctors' assault case.

Mhatre and others surrendered on July 19 and were lodged at Aadharwadi Jail in Kalyan.

The court on Friday modified the July 14 and 17 bail orders and granted bail to the accused persons.

The High Court has also asked the State to appoint a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) within seven days to argue the case before the trial court and not replace him/her midway. It directed its registry to form a fast-track court in Kalyan within seven days to swiftly hear the case, and directed KDMC to provide police protection to the victim doctors.