The Calcutta High Court on Thursday restrained the West Bengal Police from taking any further action against Congress’ Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan in connection with a criminal case dating back to 2007. Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya also directed that Pradhan not be shown as arrested in the case until October 12, while making it clear in an oral observation that he should be allowed to contest the October 6 Nandigram bypoll.
Congress candidate Milan Pradhan’s counsel, Senior Advocate Ayan Bhattacharjee, told the court that his client had been taken into custody in another case despite the State having indicated on September 22 that there were no further cases in which he was required. The State argued that Pradhan had already been arrested in the 2007 case on September 19, before the September 22 hearing, and that a production warrant had been issued.
The court, however, noted that the report relied upon by the State had not been placed before it at the earlier hearing. “That report is not with me. We proceeded on your submission. No report was filed,” the court said. The bench also sought to know where the State had informed the court that Pradhan had already been apprehended in the additional case. “Where is that disclosure? Show me from the record,” the court asked.
In addition, the court said it had proceeded on the basis of the State’s earlier submissions that Milan Pradhan was in custody in five cases, while the remaining cases were either no longer pending or did not require his arrest. “In the earlier hearing it was not surfaced before this court that another criminal prosecution was pending,” the court observed.
The State further maintained that a production warrant in the 2007 case had remained pending since 2021. The court, however, said it could not find any document establishing that the warrant had actually been executed. “Therefore, State contention regarding execution of production warrant is negated at this stage,” the court held.
The bench also questioned why an investigating officer had sought to have Pradhan shown as arrested in September 2026 in a prosecution dating back to 2007. The State said the cases had been withdrawn by the previous government in 2020 but were revived in 2021 following a PIL, after which warrants were issued. The court nevertheless expressed surprise at the timing of the latest action.
It ultimately directed the police not to take any steps against Pradhan in the 2007 case until October 12 and ordered that he not be shown as arrested in the matter. “Police is directed not to take any steps till 12th October in connection with this case and petitioner shall not be shown as arrested,” the court ordered. The court also concluded the hearing with an oral observation to the State: “Allow him to contest, Mr Majumdar, allow him to contest.”
The development comes ahead of the October 6 Nandigram bypoll, which Milan Pradhan is contesting as the Congress candidate. His custody and the series of 2007 cases against him have already become a point of contention in the election campaign. The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter again on October 12.
