Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll, Milan Pradhan, has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking protection from arrest in five additional cases. The plea comes while Pradhan is already in judicial custody in connection with cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram agitation.
Pradhan’s lawyer, Ayan Bhattacharjee, mentioned the matter before Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya on Monday. After hearing the submission, the court permitted the filing of the petition and said it would hear the matter on Tuesday, September 22.
‘Protection in five cases’
Appearing for Pradhan, Bhattacharjee told the court that his client had already been arrested in connection with one case and could face arrest in five more.
The lawyer argued, “My client has already been arrested in one case. There is a possibility of his arrest in five more cases. Protection may be granted in those five cases.”
He also pointed out that Pradhan is contesting the October 6 Nandigram by-election as the Congress candidate.
Arrest linked to 2007 cases
Pradhan was arrested on September 18 on the basis of pending non-bailable warrants connected to cases registered during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram. Police have said the cases involve allegations including murder, attempt to murder, abduction, disappearance of evidence, trespassing and rioting with weapons.
A local court subsequently sent him to judicial custody until October 3. Police said the arrest was carried out against pending warrants, while the Congress has questioned the circumstances surrounding the action.
A further case was reported on Sunday, taking the number of cases against Pradhan to five, according to reports. The latest High Court plea concerns five additional cases, according to his lawyer's submission.
The legal proceedings come ahead of the October 6 Nandigram by-election. Pradhan’s judicial custody is currently scheduled to continue until October 3, one day before campaigning is due to end.
