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Abhishek Banerjee Denied Permission To Go Abroad
Kolkata: In a major development, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday refused permission to Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and Lok Sabha member from Diamond Harbour, Abhishek Banerjee, to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment and directed him to visit the Ophthalmology department at the State-run SSKM hospital.
"The single bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya passed a similar order on Abhishek Banerjee's petition on July 20, and he moved the Supreme Court, which sent the matter back to the High Court on Monday. Abhishek can either follow today's order or move a High Court division bench", according to sources.
On July 20, the bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya turned down the Diamond Harbour MP's plea but granted him interim protection from coercive police action in the election speech cases till September 30.
Today, Justice Bhattacharya observed that only specialists can determine whether Abhishek Banerjee can be treated in India and directed him for the second time to consult the ophthalmology department at Kolkata's SSKM Medical College and Hospital.
However, Abhishek Banerjee's lawyers told the court that he had been going to the US for ten years for his treatment and hence should be allowed to travel. This was rejected by the court.
The State's lawyers opposed the petition, saying Abhishek's absence from India would affect ongoing investigations in several cases, including the one in which he is accused of making provocative remarks in some of his campaign speeches in the run-up to the May assembly elections.
