Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court to challenge a Calcutta High Court order that denied him permission to travel abroad for eye treatment. The High Court had dismissed his request after he declined to undergo a medical assessment at SSKM Hospital in Kolkata, a condition the court had set for evaluating his need for specialized overseas care.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee has escalated his legal battle for medical travel, filing an appeal in the Supreme Court of India. This move comes after the Calcutta High Court dismissed his plea on August 5, 2026, which sought permission to travel overseas for specialized eye treatment.
The dispute centers on a medical assessment required by the Calcutta High Court. The court had mandated that Banerjee present himself before a medical board at the state-run SSKM Hospital in Kolkata to evaluate whether his treatment could be effectively managed within India. Banerjee, who has historically sought treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States for eye injuries sustained in a 2016 accident, declined to appear before this specific board. Following this refusal, the High Court observed that it could not determine the necessity of foreign travel without the board's expert report, leading to the dismissal of his application.
The travel request is currently linked to ongoing legal proceedings involving the Member of Parliament. The High Court is hearing a case regarding alleged inciting comments made during a public meeting held before the West Bengal Assembly elections. While the court has granted Banerjee interim protection from coercive action in this matter until October 6, 2026, it has maintained conditions regarding his cooperation with investigations and restrictions on foreign travel.
The Supreme Court has previously intervened in this legal battle. On August 3, 2026, the top court directed the Calcutta High Court to expedite the hearing of the travel plea within a week. With the High Court having passed its order dismissing the plea, the matter has now returned to the Supreme Court for further deliberation.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear the appeal in the coming week. The primary focus for the court will be reviewing the conditions for medical travel against the backdrop of the pending investigation. The broader case involving the alleged remarks continues to progress separately, with interim protections currently in place.