The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in six criminal cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram violence, allowing him to contest the upcoming Nandigram Assembly bypoll.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh passed the order on separate bail applications filed by Pradhan, who has been in custody in connection with the cases involving allegations of rioting and murder.
The court granted him interim bail until October 20, subject to furnishing a bond of ₹20,000 and two sureties of ₹10,000 each.
“I am of the opinion that petitioner may be granted an opportunity to contest the election and to that effect he may be released on interim bail,” Justice Ghosh observed, according to Bar and Bench.
The order provides temporary relief to the Congress candidate ahead of the October 6 bypoll, with campaigning scheduled to end on October 4.
Court questions timing of arrests in 19-year-old cases
Pradhan had challenged the timing of his arrest, pointing out that the cases against him date back to 2007, when Nandigram witnessed protests against land acquisition.
His counsel argued that the police had nearly 19 years to execute the arrest warrants but acted only after he filed his nomination as the Congress candidate for the bypoll.
The High Court took note of the delay, observing that the police had sufficient opportunities to execute the processes in cases that were more than 19 years old.
The court also noted that the cases arose from Pradhan's participation in the Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement.
“The events at Nandigram form part of the history of West Bengal, particularly the farmers’ struggle to protect the land acquisition to which they were deeply attached,” the court observed.
It further described Pradhan as a political activist associated with the 2007 land movement and noted his participation in the present election as a candidate of a political party.
Six cases linked to 2007 Nandigram violence
The interim bail order covers six cases registered in connection with incidents during the Nandigram agitation. The allegations include rioting and murder.
Pradhan's arrest had triggered a political controversy, with the Congress alleging that the action was intended to prevent its candidate from contesting the election.
The police, however, had maintained that the arrest was part of the execution of long-pending non-bailable warrants and that Pradhan had been evading the legal process.
The court referred to the Supreme Court's 2024 decision granting interim bail to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, noting that the principle of adopting a holistic approach to interim bail applied to Pradhan's case as well.
The Nandigram Assembly bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with campaigning ending on October 4 and counting of votes scheduled for October 9.
