Twenty-two of the 23 accused in the Palghar Relief Hospital vandalism case have been remanded in police custody until September 16 after eight named accused, including Shiv Sena leader Kundan Sankhe, surrendered at Palghar police station on Sunday, according to a report by Loksatta – Palghar.
The case concerns alleged misconduct with doctors, assault on a hospital employee and unauthorised entry into the intensive care unit after the Dahi Handi festival. A complaint was registered at Palghar police station against 10 identified suspects and seven to eight unidentified persons.
Palghar First Class Magistrate and Remand Court No. 4 Judge Yogesh H. Gajbiye passed the custody order around midnight on Sunday, the report said. The order covers 22 accused in the case. The report did not identify the person who was not remanded.
Police had earlier arrested Rahul Gharat on September 7 and Rohit Gavit, the son of an MLA, on September 11. Twelve members of a Govinda group who were allegedly accompanying Shiv Sena workers were also arrested. Gavit had already been remanded in police custody until September 16, while the custody period for Gharat and the 12 Govinda group members was due to end on September 13.
Sankhe, described in the report as the former Shiv Sena district chief, and seven other suspects had allegedly left Palghar from the previous Monday. Police had been searching for them before they surrendered at the police station at about 8 am on Sunday, reportedly following instructions from senior party officials.
Later in the day, the driver of another suspect captured in the hospital’s CCTV footage surrendered to Palghar police. The report said the investigation concerns the conduct of the group inside the private hospital, including the alleged assault and entry into the ICU. The accused will remain in police custody until the next court-directed milestone on September 16.
