Kolkata, Jun 2 (IANS): Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Thursday approached the Calcutta High Court alleging that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has denied him permission to go abroad for treatment.

The court will take up the matter later in the day. The ED has already questioned Banerjee in connection with the coal smuggling scam in West Bengal.

In his appeal, the Lok Sabha from Diamond Harbour has stated that he had requested the central agency to spare him from questioning for some time as he would have to go abroad for his ophthalmological treatment. However, the ED officials have raised objections to his proposal.

It is learnt that in his letter to the ED, Abhishek Banerjee wanted to be spared from June 3 to 10.

Incidentally, the Trinamool leader recently made headlines after he described a couple of judges as biased and operating at the behest of some forces. "I feel bad to say that a couple of members of the judiciary are acting at the behest of others and as agents. They are ordering for CBI verdicts in petty cases. They are putting a stay in murder cases. This is unthinkable," Banerjee said at a public rally in Haldia on May 28.

On May 30, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar informed that he has instructed the state chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi to initiate action Banerjee over his anti-judiciary comments.

The governor also observed that Banerjee's accusing and targetting the judiciary interferes with the due course of justice process and reflects scant respect for the rule of law.