Supreme Court Allows Abhishek Banerjee To Travel Abroad For Eye Treatment

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee to travel abroad for three weeks for medical treatment.

“Every individual has a right to travel abroad. Every individual has a right to choose his medical treatment. That is not for you to decide,” the Court observed.

Banerjee has been allowed to travel abroad in September for eye treatment.

The Court has directed Banerjee to furnish his travel itinerary, flight details, place of stay and details of the doctors and hospital where he proposes to undergo treatment.

Banerjee, the TMC's national general secretary, is facing a police case related to alleged intimidatory statements he made during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign.

The Calcultta High Court on August 5 denied Banerjee, who is former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew, urgent permission to travel abroad for eye treatment. A single bench of Justice Sougata Bhattacharya said it doesn't see the need for the 40-year-old to leave the country when medical procedures are available in India.

Justice Bhattacharya said it is immaterial where Banerjee, who sustained an eye injury in a 2016 road accident, gets treated, as getting medical intervention is more important.

The bench had earlier rejected Banerjee's plea on July 20.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that Banerjee would flee the country if allowed to travel abroad.

West Bengal minister and senior BJP leader Agnimitra Paul alleged that the Lok Sabha MP might be using his medical condition as a pretext to leave the country.

"If he needs treatment, we can arrange the best facilities in a state government hospital. Lakhs of people are treated here. There could be a plan to escape from the country," Paul claimed.

Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee alleged that the TMC leader could exploit his diplomatic passport to evade Indian law.

"He is desperate to go abroad because he wants to escape. Once someone with a diplomatic passport reaches a country that has no extradition treaty with India, bringing him back becomes difficult," the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly said.