Trinamool Congress national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee has not been granted immediate permission to travel to the United States for treatment of an eye condition. The plea came up while a court was hearing a separate matter linked to a DJ remark case, and the bench responded with pointed questions about why the trip abroad was even necessary.
What the petition sought
Banerjee had moved the court seeking permission to travel to America specifically for eye treatment, arguing that the procedure required him to go abroad. The bench, however, was not convinced by that reasoning and declined to grant any immediate relief on the request.
The court's blunt response
During the hearing, the court remarked, "Why do you need to go abroad?" The judges also asked why the MP had not attempted treatment at a government-run or reputed eye hospital such as SSKM. In the court's view, adequate facilities for eye care already exist within the country, weakening the case for foreign travel.
Next hearing likely in August
According to sources, the plea concerning permission for foreign travel is now expected to come up for hearing only in August. Until then, Banerjee will not have court approval to fly to the US for treatment. The remarks are being seen as a significant setback for him, leaving him with little option but to wait for the next hearing date.
