Kolkata, 23 September (H.S.) : Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate for the upcoming Nandigram by-elections, has once again approached the Calcutta High Court to seek bail. On Wednesday morning, his legal counsels, Milan Mukhopadhyay and Ayan Bhattacharya, drew the court's attention to his bail plea and requested an expedited hearing.

The lawyers sought permission from the bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh to officially file the bail petition. They argued that since Pradhan is an active candidate in the impending by-elections, the matter is highly time-sensitive and requires immediate judicial intervention. After hearing the preliminary arguments, Justice Ghosh granted permission to file the case, with a hearing likely to be scheduled later this week.

Pradhan was arrested last Friday from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district in connection with a 19-year-old case. According to police sources, the charges stem from the violent 2007 anti-land acquisition movement and include murder, attempted murder, unlawful assembly, and looting. Three cases were registered against him at the Nandigram police station and one at the Khejuri police station. The timing of the arrest, occurring just before the by-elections, has triggered a massive political controversy across the state.

Earlier, the Congress candidate had approached the High Court seeking protection from arrest. While he has been remanded in two cases so far, he sought a legal shield against arrest in five other pending matters. During a hearing before the bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya on Tuesday, the defense counsel accused the state administration of disrupting the democratic process by executing old warrants right before the polls.

Countering this claim, the state's Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar submitted that in compliance with the Model Code of Conduct, pending warrants are being executed across the board, not specifically targeting Pradhan. The state government further assured the court that Pradhan is not the principal accused in the remaining five cases and will not face any coercive action in those specific matters. Noting this state submission, the High Court declined to issue any interim directives at this stage.

Meanwhile, legal proceedings in the lower courts are ongoing. The Haldia sub-divisional court had previously remanded Pradhan to judicial custody until October 3. Subsequently, the Kanthi court also sent him to judicial custody until October 5. In connection with the specific case registered at the Khejuri police station, the Congress candidate was produced before the Kanthi court once again on Wednesday amid tight security.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh