NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Monday allowed TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee to travel abroad for three weeks in September for eye treatment.A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant allowed the travel but imposed several conditions.Banerjee can travel only on his diplomatic passport and will have to provide details of his travel itinerary, where he will stay abroad, the doctor and hospital where he will receive treatment, his accommodation and flight details.The court said investigating agencies can use the information provided by Banerjee for their investigation but must keep the details confidential.Banerjee had approached the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta high court order that had refused to lift the travel restriction imposed on him in connection with a hate speech case.Earlier, the Calcutta high court had denied Banerjee permission to travel abroad for eye treatment after he refused to appear before a medical board at the state-run SSKM Hospital.Justice Saugata Bhattacharya had directed Banerjee to appear before the medical board on August 6.The board was supposed to examine his condition and inform the court whether he needed treatment abroad or whether the treatment could be provided in India.During the hearing, Justice Bhattacharya asked Banerjee’s lawyer whether the TMC leader was willing to be examined by a medical board headed by the head of the Ophthalmology department at SSKM Hospital.Banerjee’s lawyer, after taking instructions, said the TMC leader wanted to be examined by a doctor of his choice.
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However, Banerjee later informed the court that he was unwilling to appear before the medical board.The high court then dismissed his plea seeking permission to travel abroad.The court said an examination by the SSKM medical board was necessary to assess Banerjee’s condition and help determine whether he needed treatment outside India.
