After arrest, Congress’ Nandigram candidate moves High Court seeking protection

Calcutta High Court will on Tuesday hear the Congress’ Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan’s plea seeking protection from coercive action. He has been sent to custody in an old case till October 5, a day before the bypoll.

Nandigram Congress nominee Milan Pradhan was arrested by police in connection with an old murder caseCongress nominee Milan Pradhan was arrested by West Bengal police in connection with an old (Express photo: Special arrangement).

The Calcutta High Court will on Tuesday hear a plea by Congress’ Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan seeking protection from coercive action in five cases filed against him.

On Monday, the legal counsel of Pradhan mentioned the matter before the single bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya for an urgent hearing. Pradhan, who is already in jail after his arrest in connection with three other old cases, has sought protection from coercive action in the five new cases and the disclosure of further arrest warrants against him.

According to Pradhan’s counsel, the Congress candidate was arrested on September 18, and later remanded to judicial custody till October 3 by a Haldia court in three cases dating back to the Nandigram land agitation of 2007. The Khejuri police on Saturday submitted another arrest warrant against him in a fourth case, and Nandigram police on Sunday filed another warrant in a fifth case.

His counsel contended that the bypoll in Nandigram is scheduled for October 6, with the last date of campaigning set for October 4. This would effectively end the Congress candidate’s opportunity to canvass before the bypoll to the Assembly seat vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari.

Hearing the submissions, the court allowed the matter to be filed, and the hearing is slated for Tuesday.

Custody till Oct 5 in another case

Meanwhile, later on Monday, the Contai court in Purba Medinipur district remanded Pradhan to 14-day judicial custody, till October 5, in connection with the case registered at the Khejuri Police Station in 2007. His counsel Ayan Bhattacharjee told PTI he would also challenge this decision in the High Court.

Pradhan was arrested hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee on September 18 announced her TMC faction’s support to the Congress candidate in the Nandigram bypoll, after their own candidate withdrew from the race.

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The West Bengal Police had earlier said that Pradhan was arrested based on four pending arrest warrants for his alleged involvement in non-bailable cases related to murder, attempt to murder, abduction with intent to murder, causing disappearance of evidence, house trespass, and rioting with arms and deadly weapons, all of which were filed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram.

— With PTI inputs

Tanusree Bose is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Kolkata. Her work focuses sharply on the complex administrative, political, and judicial developments across West Bengal, establishing her as an authoritative voice in regional news coverage. Experience  Current Role: Reports for the prestigious national daily, The Indian Express, providing her content with a high level of Trustworthiness. Geographical Expertise: Provides focused, in-depth coverage of West Bengal, demonstrating an intimate knowledge of the state's news and political nuances. Core Authority: Her reporting portfolio highlights deep Expertise in crucial, often sensitive, beats, including: State Politics and Governance: Covering the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), opposition strategies (BJP), and internal political controversies. Judicial and Administrative Affairs: Closely monitoring key developments in the Calcutta High Court, particularly major rulings related to employment, education, and social issues. Education Sector: Extensive reporting on significant controversies, such as teacher recruitment irregularities and administrative actions by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE). Social & Electoral Issues: Covering public events, community tensions (e.g., religious/political gatherings), and election-related processes like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Tanusree Bose's consistent output and focus on high-stakes regional issues for a trusted media outlet underscore her status as a reliable and authoritative source for news from West Bengal. ... Read More

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