New Delhi: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee has been going through a miserable time since the party’s 15-year rule was ended by the BJP in May.
Blamed for the resounding defeat and deserted by dozens of party MLAs and MPs but backed by Mamata, Abhishek also faces criminal cases galore. On Monday, the TMC general secretary finally had a reason to smile.
The Supreme Court set aside the Calcutta High Court’s order and granted the Lok Sabha MP permission to travel abroad for three weeks for eye treatment.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana passed the order after Abhishek had challenged the high court’s dismissal of his plea seeking permission to travel abroad.
“Every individual has a right to go abroad. Every individual has a right to choose his medical treatment,” the court said.
On August 5, the high court dismissed Abhishek’s plea seeking permission to travel abroad, noting that he was unwilling to appear before the medical board at the state-run SSKM Hospital for an assessment of his medical condition.
The Supreme Court observed that seeking treatment for illness or condition sometimes is a part of the right to privacy.