Abhishek Banerjee again approaches SC for permission to travel abroad for eye treatment

Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS) Following the dismissal of the petition filed by the Trinamool Congress general secretary and the party’s Lok Sabha member, Abhishek Banerjee, for permission to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment by a single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court earlier this week, the Diamond Harbour MP has once again approached the Supreme Court in the matter.

This is the second time that Banerjee has approached the apex court in the same matter.

Last month, Abhishek Banerjee first approached the Calcutta High Court for permission to travel abroad for eye treatment. However, during a hearing on July 20, the High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya advised him to first consult experts from the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

Justice Bhattacharya had then also said that, depending on the report from the experts from the S.S.K.M., his bench would decide whether permission should be granted to him for overseas travel for treatment.

However, instead of following the advice, the Diamond Harbour MP then approached the Supreme Court for permission. The apex court’s three-judge division bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Venkita Subramani Mohan then referred the matter to the Calcutta High Court.

The matter again came up for hearing at Justice Bhattacharya’s bench on August 5. During that hearing, Banerjee’s counsel informed the court that his client would not go to S.S.K.M in the matter. Thereafter, Justice Bhattacharya not only denied permission to the Diamond Harbour MP to travel abroad for eye treatment but also dismissed the entire case.

Thereafter, the Diamond Harbour MP has again filed a fresh petition before the Supreme Court for permission to travel abroad for eye treatment. However, the date of hearing in the matter is not yet known.

The state police administration has strong objections to his foreign travel as several FIRs have been registered against him, including some under non-bailable sections.

In October 2016, Abhishek Banerjee was involved in an accident on his way back to Kolkata from a party programme in Murshidabad district. He suffered serious injuries to his eye in that accident. He first visited several hospitals in the country and later sought treatment abroad.

–IANS

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