The Calcutta High Court on Monday directed the state not to take any coercive action against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee till November 30 in the Sebaashray health camp investigation adding that the complainant who lodged back-to-back complaints lost to Banerjee in two Lok Sabha elections at Diamond Harbour.
The bench also observed that Das lost elections against Banerjee. “Enough is enough. Now I am going to pass orders relying on the one passed in Suvendu Adhikari’s case,” the bench remarked. Banerjee was directed to cooperate with the investigators. “I have personally seen three complaints. Nothing is connected to the petitioner. You investigate and file your chargesheet. Banerjee is currently in the USA for ophthalmic treatment. The high court permitted him to leave the country.
The court directed the police not to take any coercive steps against Banerjee till November 30, but permitted the police to issue notice. Abhijit Das, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader who unsuccessfully contested against Banerjee in 2009 and 2014, lodged back-to-back police complaints since July against Banerjee and several others, alleging large-scale irregularities and medical malpractice at the Sebaashray health camps that the MP launched in 2025. Sankaranarayanan told the bench that Das filed seven out of 16 complaints.
The bench of justice Saugata Bhattacharyya citing a high court order passed in favour of Suvendu Adhikari when he was an opposition leader said that it may pass an order restraining registration of any more first information reports (FIRs) against Banerjee without court’s permission. Custodial interrogation is not required,” the bench said. “Has he (Banerjee) prescribed the medicine?” the bench remarked. When lawyers for the state said that the complainant was a whistleblower, the bench said, “Why was the whistle not blown one year back? “The same person who has lost twice to him is going on filing complaints,” the Bench remarked.
On Monday, the court heard a petition filed by senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan on Banerjee’s behalf regarding an FIR on a complaint alleging use of fake medicines at the health camps.
The court recorded Sankaranarayanan’s submission that back-to-back complaints leading to FIRs were a suspected tactic to circumvent the protection the court had earlier granted to Banerjee.
The bench questioned the nature of the complaint, asking how could Banerjee be linked to the allegation when no investigation has proved his involvement.
