J’khand min urges people not to politicise his passport block issue

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari on Tuesday described the cancellation of his London trip as “purely a legal matter” and urged people not to politicise the issue.

The Calcutta High Court blocked the release of his passport, which he had sought to attend the World Travel Market event in London from November 4 to 6. Ansari said he would deal with the matter strictly through judicial channels and expressed confidence that it would be resolved according to law.

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“This is a legal issue and will be addressed accordingly,” he said. “Had prior clearance from the central government been obtained, the passport issue would not have arisen.” He did not clarify why the West Bengal government opposed the travel despite Jharkhand’s approval.

The passport has been under court custody since September 25, 2024, stemming from a case dating back to July 30, 2022, when Ansari, along with Congress MLAs Rajesh Kachhap and Naman Vikas Kongadi, was arrested by Bengal Police in Howrah with nearly Rs 50 lakh in cash. The three were granted conditional bail, with their passports seized as a condition.

Although the Jharkhand High Court quashed the FIR in March 2023, the West Bengal government challenged the decision in the Supreme Court. The matter remains pending, keeping the passports withheld.

During the hearing, the West Bengal government argued that the MLAs had not been appearing regularly in the Supreme Court and that returning their passports could risk non-compliance with ongoing proceedings.

Justice Amrita Sinha agreed, noting there was no urgent need for foreign travel. The court ruled that releasing the passports or allowing travel abroad would be inappropriate under the present circumstances.

Ansari and the other two MLAs had planned to attend the international trade conference in England, which is now postponed indefinitely. While the Jharkhand government had cleared the visit and agreed to fund it, the court’s decision underscores the primacy of legal procedures over official travel approvals.

Reiterating his position, Ansari called on political leaders and observers to avoid unnecessary speculation. He stressed that his focus remains on his ministerial responsibilities and that he is committed to cooperating fully with the judicial process.