The Calcutta High Court on Monday declined Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee's request to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment. The plea was heard during proceedings in a case related to alleged hate speeches made by Banerjee ahead of the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.
During the hearing of the case, where Banerjee has been accused of making hate speeches before the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls, his counsel sought the court's permission for him to travel overseas for ophthalmic treatment.
However, Justice Sougata Bhattacharya, who was hearing the matter, rejected the plea for foreign travel. Instead, the court advised Banerjee to first consult specialists at the state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
Justice Bhattacharya also observed that the court would take a further decision on the matter only after reviewing the medical report from S.S.K.M.
When Banerjee's counsel requested permission for overseas treatment, Justice Bhattacharya first asked whether the Diamond Harbour MP had consulted any ophthalmology specialist.
In response, Banerjee's counsel informed the court that his client had been receiving ophthalmic treatment in the United States for the past ten years.
The state government counsel and Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar strongly opposed the plea, arguing that several important cases, including the hate speech case, are pending against Banerjee and that allowing him to travel abroad could affect the investigation process.
After hearing both sides, Justice Bhattacharya directed the head of the Ophthalmology Department at S.S.K.M. Medical College and Hospital to constitute a medical board to examine Banerjee.
The court said it would decide on the request for foreign travel after reviewing the medical board's report. The next hearing on the matter has been scheduled for August.
Justice Bhattacharya, however, extended Banerjee's interim protection from coercive police action, including arrest, in the hate speech case until October.
The case relates to allegations that Banerjee made violence-inciting remarks and threatened Union Home Minister Amit Shah during an election campaign rally before the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly polls.
The court also directed Banerjee to cooperate with the police investigation and instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to complete the probe at the earliest.
With Inputs From IANS
