Abhishek Banerjee seeks foreign travel for eye treatment, High Court denies urgent hearing

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee has received a setback from the Calcutta High Court after his request for an urgent hearing on a plea seeking permission to travel abroad for medical treatment was declined.

Banerjee moved the High Court seeking approval to travel overseas for seven days for treatment related to an eye injury.

His counsel mentioned the matter before the bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya on Tuesday and requested an expedited hearing. However, the court refused to grant an urgent listing of the case.

Sources said the matter is likely to come up for hearing later this week. According to court sources, there is no blanket restriction on Banerjee’s foreign travel.

However, as his name figures in multiple ongoing legal cases and courts have directed him to cooperate with investigations, he sought judicial permission before undertaking the trip.

The TMC leader has been dealing with eye-related health issues since a road accident in October 2016. Banerjee suffered serious injuries below his eye while returning to Kolkata from a party programme in Murshidabad.

He underwent treatment at several hospitals in India before seeking advanced medical care abroad.

The court development comes at a politically turbulent time for the TMC. Following the party’s poor performance in the recent Assembly elections, internal dissent has intensified, with a rebel faction led by Rittabrata Banerjee openly challenging the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and BanerjeeBanerjee.

On Monday, the rebel camp held a special convention in New Town and announced a new national working committee, excluding both Mamata and Banerjee from its structure.

The faction also named TMC MLA Arup Roy as its chairman, signalling a deepening organisational rift within the party.