Superficial probe, may benefit accused: Court raps cops over Palghar hospital attack
The Bombay High Court on Friday termed the Palghar Police investigation into the alleged assault and vandalism at a private hospital as “ridiculous and seriously flawed”, directing a senior police officer to examine the probe. The development came as police arrested 14 more people, including the son of a Shiv Sena MLA, five days after the incident.
The court said the action taken by the Palghar police appeared “merely superficial” and seemed to have been carried out in a manner that would ultimately benefit the accused.
The arrests were made in connection with the alleged attack on staff at Relief Hospital in Palghar on the intervening night of September 5 and 6, when a group of Shiv Sena workers allegedly barged into the facility where injured ‘Govindas’ who had participated in Dahi Handi celebrations were undergoing treatment.
The group claimed the hospital was charging exorbitant fees. They allegedly vandalised the premises, threatened doctors, assaulted hospital staff and forcibly took away one of the injured persons from the ICU.
Palghar Police had earlier arrested Shiv Sena Palghar city chief Rahul Gharat on September 7. He was subsequently suspended from the party.
A police official said 14 more people were arrested on Friday, including Rohit, son of Shiv Sena MLA Rajendra Gavit. The police have registered an FIR against a total of 22 people in the case.
During the hearing, a bench of Justices A S Gadkari and Kamal Khata directed the Additional Inspector General of Police, Konkan division, to examine the investigation and submit a report by September 17 on whether the action taken by the Palghar Police was legally proper.
The bench questioned the “lackadaisical” manner in which the probe had been conducted, pointing to lapses ranging from the preparation of the panchnama, or spot inspection report, to entries in the station case diary.
The bench was originally hearing a suo motu plea concerning an assault at a civic hospital in Thane in July, in which Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre is an accused. During the hearing, senior counsel Ashok Mundargi brought the Palghar hospital incident to the court’s attention.- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 11, 2026 21:51 IST
