Archive · 8 Aug 2026
Banerjee moves Supreme Court over denied travel for eye treatment
Abhishek Banerjee is an important politician in India who represents a place called Diamond Harbour.
He has a problem with his eyes and wanted to go to another country to see a doctor.
A court in Kolkata, called the Calcutta High Court, said no.
The court felt that good eye clinics already exist in Kolkata.
It also said he did not want to be checked by doctors at a hospital there, which made it harder to decide.
Banerjee did not agree with the court's decision.
So he asked the Supreme Court of India, the highest court in the country, to help him.
The Supreme Court told the lower court to look at his request again.
The whole matter is also connected to some words he reportedly said about another political party at a public meeting.
There is an investigation going on, and the court wants him to stay in India while it continues.
TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta High Court order that denied him permission to travel abroad for eye treatment.
The high court dismissed his plea on August 5, noting he was unwilling to appear before a medical board at SSKM Hospital, Kolkata, for an assessment.
On August 3, the Supreme Court had directed the high court to take up his travel plea within a week.
The case stems from alleged comments he made against leaders and workers of a rival party at a public meeting on April 27, ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly polls.
The high court barred him from travelling abroad without its permission and extended his interim protection from coercive action until October 6; he also sought quashing of the FIR.
- Who
- Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Diamond Harbour, represented by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan.
- What
- He moved the Supreme Court against the Calcutta High Court order denying him permission to travel abroad for eye treatment; he also sought quashing of the FIR registered against him.
- When
- The Calcutta High Court dismissed his travel plea on August 5; the Supreme Court had directed the high court on August 3 to take up the plea within a week.
- Where
- Supreme Court of India and Calcutta High Court; SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal.
- Why
- He wants to travel abroad for eye treatment, but the high court declined because he refused a medical board assessment at SSKM Hospital and because reputed eye clinics are available in Kolkata; the matter is linked to alleged comments he made against rival party leaders and workers at a public meeting on April 27.
Abhishek Banerjee's position
Calcutta High Court's position
Travel abroad for eye treatment
Abhishek Banerjee's position
Banerjee sought permission to travel abroad for medical treatment of his eyes.
Calcutta High Court's position
The court was not inclined to permit him to leave the country while the investigation was underway, noting several reputed eye clinics are available in Kolkata.
Medical board assessment
Abhishek Banerjee's position
Banerjee said he would not appear before the medical board at SSKM Hospital, Kolkata.
Calcutta High Court's position
The court found that had he appeared before the medical board, its opinion could have helped determine whether he actually needed to travel abroad for treatment.
- Person
- Abhishek Banerjee, Trinamool Congress MP from Diamond Harbour
- Legal action
- Moved Supreme Court against Calcutta High Court order denying travel abroad for eye treatment
- High court ruling
- Plea dismissed on August 5 over refusal to appear before SSKM Hospital medical board
- Supreme Court directive
- On August 3, directed the high court to take up the plea within a week
- Interim protection
- Extended until October 6; travel abroad barred without court permission
- Related case
- Alleged comments against rival party leaders and workers at a public meeting on April 27, ahead of the second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls
- Represented by
- Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan
- Also sought
- Quashing of the FIR registered against him