Calcutta HC Approves Kunal Ghosh's International Journey with Bengal CM, Scrutinizes Funding Sources
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Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has allowed Kunal Ghosh to join West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on her UK tour, scrutinizing his funding sources for the trip, which is set between March 21-30.
Key Takeaways
- Calcutta High Court grants Ghosh permission for UK trip.
- Ghosh's bail conditions included passport submission.
- Funding sources for Ghosh's travel questioned by judges.
- Ghosh to travel as a newspaper representative.
- Trip duration fixed from March 21 to March 30.
Kolkata, March 19 (NationPress) The Calcutta High Court granted permission on Wednesday for Kunal Ghosh, the state General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress, to join West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her upcoming visit to the UK, where she is set to deliver a lecture at a college associated with Oxford University.
Currently on bail following his conviction in the significant Saradha Group chit fund scam, Ghosh had previously surrendered his passport as a condition of his release.
On Wednesday, Ghosh’s attorney appealed to the High Court’s division bench, consisting of Justice Debangshu Basak and Justice Smita Das, to have his passport returned for the purpose of accompanying the Chief Minister.
During the proceedings, the judges questioned the origin of the funds Ghosh would use for his international travel. In response, his lawyer clarified that Ghosh would not be traveling as a Trinamool leader but rather as a representative of a newspaper with which he is affiliated.
Following this clarification, the division bench instructed Ghosh’s counsel to include this detail in the petition documents. Once the necessary references were made, the court conditionally approved Ghosh’s trip abroad.
As part of the conditions, Ghosh is required to deposit Rs 5 lakh with the court before departing the country. The duration of his trip is restricted to the period from March 21 to March 30.
In addition to her lecture at the Oxford University affiliated college, Banerjee is also scheduled to attend an industry meeting in London.
According to her itinerary, the Chief Minister is set to depart Kolkata on March 22, with a stop in Dubai before continuing to London. Her return to Kolkata is planned for March 29.
This isn’t Banerjee's first visit to the UK; she previously traveled there in 2015, accompanied by several members of her Cabinet, including the then-state Finance Minister Amit Mitra, who now serves as her Chief Economic Advisor.
