Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court's decision to deny him permission to travel abroad for eye treatment.
The development comes days after the Calcutta High Court dismissed his plea on August 5, citing his unwillingness to appear before a medical board at Kolkata's state-run SSKM Hospital for an assessment of his condition.
The High Court said that Banerjee's appearance before the medical board would have allowed medical experts to assess whether treatment abroad was actually required. Since he had indicated that he would not appear before the board, the court declined to keep the matter pending.
The dispute is connected to conditions imposed on Banerjee in a case concerning alleged comments made against leaders and workers of a rival political party at a public meeting on April 27, ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
On August 3, the Supreme Court had directed the Calcutta High Court to consider Banerjee's plea seeking permission to travel abroad for eye treatment within a week. His lawyer, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, had sought modification of the existing restrictions to allow the TMC MP to travel for medical care.
The High Court had earlier extended Banerjee's interim protection from coercive action until October 6, while directing him to cooperate with the investigation. The court had also maintained that he could not travel abroad without its permission.
The High Court had previously expressed reluctance to permit Banerjee to travel abroad while the investigation was ongoing, noting that reputed eye-treatment facilities were available in Kolkata.
Banerjee has also sought the quashing of the FIR registered against him. His latest move now shifts the dispute back to the Supreme Court, where he is challenging the restrictions on his overseas medical treatment.
