Kolkata: Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee’s request to travel abroad for specialised eye treatment has received a fresh hearing after the Supreme Court asked the Calcutta High Court to decide his plea within a week.
The development comes days after the High Court refused to grant Banerjee immediate permission to leave the country, observing that he should first explore treatment options available in India. The court had directed him to approach Kolkata’s state run SSKM Hospital to determine whether the required medical care could be provided there before seeking treatment overseas.
Banerjee, who represents the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, is currently barred from travelling abroad without prior court approval because of conditions attached to ongoing criminal proceedings against him. Arguing that his eye condition requires specialised treatment unavailable in India, he challenged the High Court’s decision before the Supreme Court.
Hearing the matter, the apex court stopped short of granting him permission to travel. Instead, it directed the Calcutta High Court to hear and dispose of his pending application at the earliest, giving the matter a fresh window for consideration.
Banerjee’s lawyers maintained that he has complied with every condition imposed by the court during the investigation, including cooperating with the probe whenever required. They argued that the request was driven solely by medical necessity and should not be viewed as an attempt to evade the legal process.
The case has sparked a wider debate over how courts should balance an individual’s right to seek advanced medical treatment with restrictions imposed during ongoing criminal proceedings. While the prosecution has opposed the plea, the defence has insisted that Banerjee’s medical needs deserve urgent consideration.
With the Supreme Court directing an expedited hearing, all eyes are now on the Calcutta High Court, which will decide whether Banerjee can travel abroad for treatment or continue to seek medical care within the country.
The outcome could have implications beyond this case, particularly for how courts deal with similar requests from individuals facing legal restrictions but seeking overseas medical treatment.
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