Kolkata, July 20 (IANS). A single-judge bench of the Calcutta High Court on Monday rejected the plea of Trinamool Congress general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee seeking permission to go abroad for eye treatment.
During the hearing of a case against Banerjee on charges of delivering hate speeches ahead of the recently held West Bengal Assembly elections, the MP’s lawyer appealed for permission for his client to go abroad for eye treatment.
However, Justice Saugata Bhattacharya, who was hearing the case, rejected the appeal for foreign travel. Instead, Justice Bhattacharya advised Abhishek Banerjee to first consult experts at the state-run SSKM Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Justice Bhattacharya also said that the court will take further decision in this matter only after seeing the report of SSKM Medical College.
When Abhishek Banerjee’s lawyer appealed for permission for his client to travel abroad for eye treatment, Justice Bhattacharya first asked whether the Diamond Harbor MP had consulted an ophthalmologist.
In response, Abhishek’s lawyer told the court that his client was undergoing eye treatment in America for the last ten years. State government counsel and state’s Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar strongly opposed allowing Abhishek Banerjee to travel abroad.
Majumdar argued that since several other important cases, including a hate speech case, were pending, allowing him to travel abroad could create complications in the investigation process.
After hearing both the sides, Justice Bhattacharya said he would direct the head of the ophthalmology department of SSKM College to form a medical board to examine the MP.
Justice Bhattacharya said that the court will decide the case on the basis of the report. The next hearing in the case of his permission to travel abroad will be held in August.
However, Justice Bhattacharya granted interim protection to MP Abhishek from strict police action (including arrest in hate speech cases) till October. He was accused of making statements inciting violence and threatening Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an election rally ahead of the recently held West Bengal Assembly elections.
Also, Justice Bhattacharya directed Abhishek Banerjee to cooperate with the police in the investigation process and also directed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to complete the investigation of the case as soon as possible.
–IANS
DKM/PM
