Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari's Passport Controversy Prevents London Trip Amid Legal Battles

Ranchi/Kolkata: Jharkhand’s health minister Irfan Ansari would have been in London on Tuesday to attend the three-day World Travel Market 2025 had it not been for an “adverse remark” made by the Bengal govt to the Calcutta high court during a hearing of Ansari’s petition for temporary release of his passport.In the third week of Oct, Ansari, armed with an approval from the Jharkhand govt, moved the Calcutta high court seeking the release of his passport temporarily from Nov 1 to 15 so that he can travel abroad.Notably, Ansari’s passport was seized in 2024 on the orders of a division bench of the Calcutta high court following his arrest by the Kolkata police from Howrah and the seizure of Rs 50 lakh unaccounted cash from him and two others.

The move followed a zero FIR filed by his party colleague Kumar Jaimangal, in Ranchi, who allegedly claimed that Ansari got the money from BJP for toppling the Hemant Soren govt then.While the Jharkhand high court squashed case against him, the passport still continues to remain pending with the Calcutta high court owing to the ongoing trial in Bengal. In response to his request to temporarily release the passport, Bengal govt told the court that “he may not return to India”.

After hearing this argument, the Calcutta high court refused to release the passport.Justice Amrita Sinha of the Calcutta high court had on Oct 29 rejected Ansari’s plea for the temporary release of his passport. He had submitted a document in the HC provided by the Jharkhand govt approving his trip to London on govt expenses for an event. The counsel for the West Bengal govt submitted that he may abscond once the passport is returned to him.