Abhishek Banerjee gets SC nod for foreign medical treatment
What's the story
The Supreme Court has allowed Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee to travel abroad for three weeks for eye treatment. The decision was taken by a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. The ruling overturned an earlier decision by the Calcutta High Court, which had denied him permission to travel overseas for medical reasons.
Legal proceedings
'Reluctance' to appear before medical board: Calcutta HC
The Calcutta High Court had earlier rejected Banerjee's plea on August 5, observing his reluctance to appear before a medical board at Kolkata's SSKM Hospital for an assessment.
The court had said, "In view of submission made on behalf of the applicant (Banerjee) that applicant will not appear before the medical board at SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, this court finds the issue which is agitated before this court by filing application... ought not to be kept pending further."
Legal intervention
Supreme Court directs Calcutta HC to consider plea
On August 3, the Supreme Court had directed the Calcutta High Court to consider Banerjee's plea within a week.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan had represented Banerjee in the apex court, seeking modification of conditions imposed by the high court.
The Calcutta High Court had earlier granted him interim protection from coercive action till October 6 in an investigation related to alleged comments against rival party leaders during a public meeting on April 27.
Travel restrictions
HC says several reputed eye clinics available in Kolkata
The high court had also directed Banerjee to cooperate with the investigation and barred him from traveling abroad without permission.
The court had said it was not inclined to allow Banerjee's foreign travel while the investigation was pending, noting that several reputed eye clinics were available in the city of Kolkata.