A fresh political and legal controversy has erupted in West Bengal after allegations surfaced that former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s confidential medical report was leaked from the state-run SSKM Hospital. Raising serious concerns over patient privacy and data security, her lawyer Arka Kumar Nag has issued a legal notice to the hospital authorities seeking an explanation.

The notice questions how a private medical report—pertaining to Mamata’s 2021 leg injury—was accessed and allegedly made public. It demands that SSKM Hospital clarify under what legal provision such sensitive information was released. Mamata has reportedly sent notices to three officials, including the hospital’s Director, holding them accountable for the alleged breach.

In the notice, Nag has also raised objections against Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, alleging that he had no legal authority to access or disclose internal hospital records. “Even if he heads the administration, the Constitution does not empower him to access or publicise confidential medical data,” the lawyer stated. He added that such disclosure would only be permissible under a court order or as part of an official investigation—neither of which, he claims, applies in this case.

The lawyer further alleged that the medical report was used as a political tool during campaigning for the Nandigram by-election, calling the act “completely illegal” and a violation of data privacy norms and the Right to Information framework.

Authenticity of report under question

While refraining from commenting on the authenticity of the document displayed by Adhikari, Nag emphasised that the immediate issue was the legality of its disclosure. “Whether the report is genuine, fake, or partial is a matter for the court to determine later. The pressing question is how such a report was made public without the patient’s consent,” he said.

The episode has also triggered broader concerns about data protection practices at SSKM Hospital, one of the state’s premier government super-specialty institutions. Nag pointed out that the hospital handles highly sensitive medical information, including DNA test reports, and questioned the safeguards in place.

“If the medical records of a former Chief Minister are not secure, what does that imply about the safety of ordinary citizens’ data?” he asked, demanding accountability from the hospital authorities.

Political row triggered by Nandigram remarks

The controversy stems from remarks made by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari during campaigning for the Nandigram Assembly by-election. Adhikari alleged that Mamata’s 2021 leg injury was “staged.” A day later, he held a press conference displaying what he claimed to be her medical report, asserting that no fracture had occurred.

The incident has since escalated into a full-blown political and legal confrontation. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has been tasked with probing the matter, including the authenticity of the document and the circumstances under which it surfaced.

As the investigation unfolds, the case is likely to test the boundaries between political discourse, institutional accountability, and the fundamental right to medical privacy.

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