Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee petitioned the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order denying him foreign travel for eye treatment.
The Calcutta High Court suggested Banerjee seek treatment at the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata instead of travelling abroad.
Banerjee is currently under investigation for alleged inflammatory remarks made during the West Bengal Assembly election campaign.
Abhishek Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a July 20 Calcutta High Court ruling that blocked his overseas travel for medical care, PTI reported. Judges have not yet listed the petition for hearing.
The High Court previously shielded the Diamond Harbour MP from coercive action. It remains active unless judges issue further orders regarding his alleged threatening speeches during the West Bengal election campaign.
Calcutta High Court Ruling
Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya ordered the MP to assist investigators and barred him from leaving the country without judicial clearance. The High Court stated that Kolkata houses multiple reputable eye clinics.
Justice Bhattacharyya suggested that the TMC leader consult the head of ophthalmology at the state-run SSKM Hospital to evaluate if local treatment is possible. The High Court will hear Banerjee's request to alter his interim protection terms in August 2026.
Underlying Criminal Case Details
Following a complaint at Baguiati Police Station, Bidhannagar Cyber Crime Police registered an FIR on May 15, 2026. The charges include Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 192, 196, 351(2) and 353(1)(c) for allegedly inciting riots, promoting enmity, criminal intimidation and spreading false rumours.
The police also invoked Sections 123(2) and 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. These charges relate to interfering with voting rights and fostering class hatred during polls. Banerjee sought to quash the case, which targets his April 27 campaign speech against opposition workers before the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Medical History and Precedents
Banerjee’s eye injury dates back to 2016 when a highway crash near Singur on October 18, 2016 fractured his left orbital bone. Doctors first operated on him at Kolkata's Belle Vue Clinic and he later traveled to Hyderabad, Singapore, Dubai and Maryland's Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute to treat recurring vision issues.
However, legal precedents may block his travel. In the June 4, 2026 ruling of Seesa Santosh v. The State of Telangana, the Supreme Court weighed the constitutional right to go abroad against the demands of justice. The top court held that judges must deny medical travel permits to the accused if comparable healthcare is available domestically.
