Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has petitioned the Supreme Court of India to challenge a Calcutta High Court decision that denied him permission to travel abroad for medical treatment for an eye condition. The appeal targets a July 20 order delivered by a single-judge bench, with the matter currently awaiting formal listing before the top court.
High Court Ruling And Travel Restriction
The restriction on international travel remains tied to interim relief granted to the Diamond Harbour Member of Parliament. High Court Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya extended Banerjee’s protection from coercive action until October 6, or until further orders, while directing him to cooperate with ongoing investigative proceedings and maintain the requirement for prior judicial sanction before departing the country.
Local Medical Assessment And Election Case Background
In declining the travel request, the High Court noted that the investigation remains active and pointed to the presence of reputed eye treatment facilities in Kolkata. The judge orally suggested that Banerjee be examined by the head of ophthalmology at the state-run SSKM Hospital to evaluate whether the required treatment can be administered locally.
The underlying case stems from an police complaint registered over comments Banerjee allegedly made against rival party members during a West Bengal assembly election campaign meeting on April 27. Banerjee has separately petitioned to quash the police complaint, and the High Court is scheduled to hear his plea to modify the terms of his interim protection in August.
