Calcutta HC rejects Abhishek Banerjee's fast-track plea on foreign travel
Synopsis
The Calcutta High Court has refused to fast-track Abhishek Banerjee's plea to travel abroad for eye treatment — a condition that dates to a 2016 accident. With the travel ban linked to the MLA signature mismatch case still in force, the TMC's second-most powerful figure must now wait for a routine hearing slot, leaving his medical plans and legal exposure both unresolved.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court on 24 June rejected Abhishek Banerjee's plea for a fast-track hearing on his foreign travel petition.
The main petition seeking permission to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment has been admitted and will proceed in the normal course.
A travel ban was imposed by Justice Kaushik Chanda's bench as a condition of interim protection from arrest in the MLA signature mismatch case .
The CID, West Bengal Police has questioned Banerjee twice in connection with the ongoing probe.
Banerjee's eye injury dates to an October 2016 road accident in Murshidabad district .
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 24 June declined to fast-track a petition filed by All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) general secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee, who sought urgent judicial clearance to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment. The single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya ruled that there was no ground to grant an expedited hearing and directed that the matter proceed in the ordinary course.
Background to the Petition
Banerjee had moved the petition before Justice Bhattacharya's bench on Tuesday, 23 June, seeking two reliefs: court permission to travel overseas for eye treatment, and a fast-track hearing on that very request. While the main petition for foreign travel has been admitted and will be heard in due course, the bench categorically rejected the accompanying plea for accelerated proceedings.
The eye condition traces back to October 2016, when Banerjee sustained serious injuries to his eye in a road accident while returning to Kolkata from a party programme in Murshidabad district. He subsequently sought treatment at multiple hospitals within India before pursuing care abroad.
The Travel Bar and the MLA Signature Case
The overseas travel restriction stems from an interim order passed by another single-judge bench — that of Justice Kaushik Chanda — in connection with an ongoing probe into the MLA signature mismatch case. The case centres on alleged discrepancies in the signatures of certain TMC legislators on a resolution concerning appointments to opposition-reserved slots in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
Under that interim order, Banerjee was granted protection from coercive police action, including arrest, but on the condition that he not travel abroad without prior court permission. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the West Bengal Police has questioned Banerjee twice in the matter, acting on directions from that bench.
What the Court Said
Justice Bhattacharya's bench was unambiguous: there was no reason to prioritise the matter over others pending before the court. The bench observed that the petition would be listed for hearing in the normal course, effectively leaving Banerjee's travel plans in limbo until the substantive petition is taken up.
What Happens Next
With the fast-track plea dismissed, Banerjee must await a regular hearing date on his foreign travel petition. The timeline remains uncertain, and the travel restriction imposed by Justice Chanda's bench continues to hold in the interim. The outcome of the main petition will determine whether Banerjee can seek medical treatment abroad while the MLA signature mismatch case investigation continues.
Point of View
But politically significant. Abhishek Banerjee is not just a Lok Sabha member — he is the operational nerve centre of the TMC, and any prolonged legal uncertainty around his movement carries organisational implications for the party. The MLA signature mismatch case has quietly become one of the more consequential legal fronts facing the TMC leadership, yet it has received far less national attention than the broader Bengal political narrative. The travel restriction, originally a condition of arrest protection, now doubles as a pressure point — and the court's decision to let the petition proceed at its own pace suggests the judiciary is in no mood to be seen as accommodating urgency on political grounds.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court reject Abhishek Banerjee's fast-track plea?
The bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya found no sufficient reason to grant an expedited hearing and ruled that the petition would be heard in the normal course. The court's refusal means Banerjee must wait for a regular listing of his foreign travel petition.
Why is Abhishek Banerjee barred from travelling abroad?
A travel ban was imposed as one of the conditions attached to interim protection from arrest granted by Justice Kaushik Chanda's bench in connection with the MLA signature mismatch case. Banerjee cannot travel overseas without prior court permission while that condition remains in force.
What is the MLA signature mismatch case?
The case involves alleged discrepancies in the signatures of certain TMC legislators on a resolution related to appointments for opposition-reserved slots in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly. The CID of the West Bengal Police is conducting an ongoing probe into the matter.
What is Abhishek Banerjee seeking from the court?
Banerjee has petitioned the Calcutta High Court for permission to travel abroad for ophthalmic treatment, stemming from a serious eye injury sustained in a road accident in October 2016. The main petition has been admitted; only the plea for a fast-track hearing was rejected.
What happens next in the case?
The petition seeking foreign travel permission will be heard in the ordinary course, with no expedited timeline set. The travel restriction imposed by Justice Chanda's bench continues to apply until the court rules on the substantive petition.
