MUMBAI, Nov. 13 -- In a compassionate intervention balancing care and autonomy, the Bombay High Court has ordered that a 50-year-old man suffering from schizophrenia be shifted from the Thane Mental Hospital to a government-recognised rehabilitation home as an interim measure, while it examines whether he requires a legal guardian. The direction, issued on November 7 by a division bench of justices M S Sonak and Advait M Sethna, came on a petition filed by the patient's longtime college friend. The petitioner had approached the court seeking long-term care and guardianship arrangements for his friend, identified as Sathe, who was left without family support following the death of his parents. The District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Thane, informed the court that the medical superintendent of the Thane Mental Hospital had certified Sathe as fit for discharge. However, the petitioner's counsel, advocate Ketan Dhavle, argued that allowing him to live alone in his apartment would endanger his well-being and safety. Accepting the counsel's suggestion, the bench ordered that Sathe be transferred to the Jagruti Rehabilitation Centre in Taloja, one of the state-approved halfway homes, for continued care and supervision. It directed the Commissioner of the Disabilities Department to ensure the transfer and admission within a week. The court further ruled that Sathe's rehabilitation and care expenses at the centre will be borne by the state government through the Disabilities Department. His friend was also permitted to visit him regularly, in accordance with institutional rules. Dr Harish Shetty, who assisted the court as amicus curiae, endorsed the decision, stressing that Sathe required an environment offering therapy and structured engagement, not mere confinement. The bench also appreciated the assistance of DLSA Thane officials, Secretary Ravindra Pajankar and Assistant Secretary Prashant Abhang, for coordinating the transition. In a parallel development, the Public Health Department's Secretary, Nipun Vinayak, filed an affidavit outlining a series of systemic reforms under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, in compliance with earlier court directions in Dr Harish Shetty vs State of Maharashtra. That landmark case had exposed the plight of abandoned or long-detained psychiatric patients and spurred judicial monitoring of rehabilitation and guardianship mechanisms. According to the affidavit, the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA), the apex policy body, has convened multiple meetings in 2025 to implement an "evidence-based, coordinated strategy" involving over 25 stakeholders, including experts from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Maharashtra Institute of Mental Health (MIMH), and BJ Medical College, Pune. A statewide mental health survey led by TISS and MIMH is also in preparation to gather real-time data on psychological well-being across Maharashtra....