Calcutta High Court Approves TMC Leader Kunal Ghosh’s Spain Trip with Mamata Banerjee for BGBS
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The Calcutta High Court, in a recent ruling, has permitted Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh, an accused in the Saradha ponzi scam case, to travel abroad. Ghosh has been granted permission to accompany West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Spain as a delegate of the Bengal Global Business Summit (BGBS).
Ghosh had approached the division bench of the Calcutta High Court, presided over by Justice Joymalya Bagchi, seeking approval for his overseas trip. The court observed,
“Though we refrain from commenting on the wisdom of the State machinery to select an undertrial (Ghosh) to represent itself in a foreign country to invite investments, the right of the petitioner to go abroad is unexceptionable.”
Highlighting Ghosh’s track record, the court noted that the former Rajya Sabha MP has been on regular bail since 2017 without any allegations of liberty misuse or convictions against him. Based on these considerations, the division bench, which also included Justice Gaurang Kanth, granted Ghosh permission to participate in the delegation trip to Madrid and Barcelona as part of BGBS 2023, scheduled from September 12 to September 23.
However, the court imposed certain conditions for this approval. Ghosh’s wife is required to furnish a bond of ₹5 lakh, and Ghosh himself must deposit an equivalent sum, either in cash or as a fixed deposit with a nationalized bank, to the satisfaction of the trial court. The court further directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to return Ghosh’s passport, which had been held due to his involvement in the chit fund scam. Ghosh is expected to submit the passport back to the trial court by September 25 upon his return.
While the CBI had raised objections to Ghosh’s foreign travel plans, the Calcutta High Court dismissed these concerns, asserting that
“the right to travel abroad is a fundamental right.”
The court also emphasized that Ghosh had previously traveled overseas without any allegations of lawbreaking during his trips.
Ghosh’s inclusion in the delegation accompanying Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee aims to engage with the business community in Spain and explore potential collaborations. Notably, former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly is also part of this high-profile delegation.
It’s worth noting that Kunal Ghosh’s legal challenges began in November 2013 when he was arrested by the Bengal Police in connection with the Saradha ponzi scam case. The investigation was later taken over by the CBI, under whose custody Ghosh remained until he was released on bail.
