Big Win for Milan Pradhan! Calcutta HC Grants Bail for Nandigram Bypolls

In a significant development for the upcoming Nandigram by-elections, the Calcutta High Court today granted interim bail to Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate, until October 20. This crucial decision means Pradhan, who has been in judicial custody since his arrest on September 18, can now actively campaign for the by-polls.

Pradhan was initially arrested in connection with murder cases dating back to 2007, and subsequently in five other cases from the same year. His legal team confirmed that this interim bail allows him to rejoin the political fray, a move that is sure to energize his campaign. Earlier, Congress party workers had staged protests in Kolkata against his arrest, highlighting the political tensions surrounding the by-election.

The by-election in Nandigram was necessitated after West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who had won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the May assembly polls, opted to retain Bhabanipur and vacated the Nandigram seat.

The Election Commission of India has scheduled the by-polls for October 6, with results expected on October 9.

The campaign period is set to conclude on October 4.

Interestingly, the Calcutta High Court had earlier raised questions about the timing of Pradhan's legal proceedings, noting that a prayer for treating the petitioner as "shown arrest" was made before the court in 2026 for cases originally registered in 2007. This anomaly had surprised the bench, adding another layer to the already politically charged atmosphere in Nandigram.

In a related development, a separate petition challenging BJP candidate Hasi Rani Rath's nomination was dismissed by the court.

The Congress had alleged discrepancies in Rath's affidavit, specifically concerning her age and the year she passed her Class X board exams. This indicates the intense scrutiny and legal battles accompanying the electoral process in the region.

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