New Delhi, 30 September (H.S.):

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to take up for immediate hearing a plea filed by the West Bengal Police challenging the interim bail granted by the Calcutta High Court to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan ahead of the Nandigram Assembly by-election.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant directed that the plea be taken up for hearing on October 5.

Appearing for the West Bengal government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the Chief Justice-led bench that the High Court had granted Pradhan interim bail specifically to enable him to participate in the election. Mehta argued that he should instead have been treated in the same manner as any other accused facing criminal proceedings.

The Supreme Court declined the request for an immediate hearing. The bench observed that it could dismiss the state government’s plea, either on Wednesday or on Monday, October 5.

The Calcutta High Court had on September 29 granted Pradhan interim bail for three weeks to enable him to contest the Assembly by-election.

Pradhan is the Congress party’s authorised candidate and has also received the support of the Trinamool Congress. He was arrested after filing his nomination papers for the Nandigram Assembly seat.

His arrest relates to a case concerning the 2007 Nandigram protests.

While granting interim bail, the Calcutta High Court observed that the state government had failed to establish that Pradhan had been a wanted accused since 2007.

The Supreme Court’s decision to list the matter on October 5 means the challenge to Pradhan’s interim bail will be considered shortly before the scheduled electoral process in the Nandigram constituency.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar