Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Court Custody Halts Congress Candidate’s Nandigram Bypoll Campaign
Milan Pradhan is the Congress candidate in an election for the Nandigram assembly seat.
A court ordered him to stay in custody until October 7.
Voting is planned for October 6, and campaigning ends on October 4.
This means Pradhan may not be able to campaign in person before voting.
The case involves a murder allegation and other accusations linked to events in 2007.
He is also in custody in other older cases.
Police say they acted on pending arrest warrants.
Congress says the timing of the arrests may have been intended to hurt his election campaign, and a higher court will examine his plea.
A Contai court remanded Congress candidate Milan Pradhan to judicial custody until October 7 in a 2007 murder case.
The order is expected to keep Pradhan in custody beyond the October 6 Nandigram bypoll, while campaigning ends October 4.
Pradhan was already in custody in an Arms Act case and four other cases involving pending non-bailable warrants.
The Calcutta High Court will hear his plea on September 24 and had indicated he should be allowed to contest properly if granted bail.
Congress alleged that old cases were revived to disrupt Pradhan’s campaign, while police cited pending warrants and criminal allegations.
- Who
- Congress candidate Milan Pradhan, the police, the Contai court, the Calcutta High Court, and Congress leaders are central to the matter.
- What
- Pradhan was denied bail and remanded to judicial custody until October 7 in a 2007 murder case, limiting his Nandigram bypoll campaign.
- When
- The latest custody order was issued on Wednesday; voting is scheduled for October 6, campaigning ends October 4, and the High Court will hear his plea on September 24.
- Where
- The proceedings involve the Contai court, the Calcutta High Court, and cases registered at Nandigram and Khejuri police stations in Purba Medinipur, West Bengal.
- Why
- The prosecution sought custody over a 2007 murder case, while police cited pending non-bailable warrants. Congress alleged that the timing was intended to disrupt Pradhan’s campaign.
Congress allegations
Police and prosecution position
Timing of the arrests
Congress allegations
Congress said old cases were revived after Pradhan became the party’s candidate to disrupt his campaign, and questioned why the warrants had not been executed earlier.
Police and prosecution position
Police said Pradhan was arrested on the basis of pending non-bailable warrants in cases dating back to 2007.
Effect on the election
Congress allegations
Congress argued that Pradhan had completed nomination and scrutiny and should be able to contest and campaign; its local youth leader said canvassing would continue despite his absence.
Police and prosecution position
The court ordered custody through October 7, while the High Court indicated he could contest properly if he secured bail in the cases in which he had been arrested.
Status of the cases
Congress allegations
Pradhan’s lawyers sought bail and told the High Court that the latest case had not been mentioned during an earlier hearing.
Police and prosecution position
The prosecution sought custody over the murder allegation, and the state said five of six other cases had been withdrawn by the previous government and that Pradhan was not wanted in another case.
- Candidate
- Milan Pradhan of the Congress
- Custody order
- Judicial custody until October 7
- Bypoll date
- October 6
- Campaign deadline
- October 4
- Allegations
- Murder and other offences connected to cases from the 2007 Nandigram agitation
- Other custody
- An Arms Act case and four cases involving pending non-bailable warrants
- Next hearing
- Calcutta High Court hearing scheduled for September 24
- Election trigger
- The Nandigram seat was vacated after Suvendu Adhikari retained Bhabanipur
