KOLKATA: Congress-nominated candidate Milan Pradhan, who is in jail ahead of the Nandigram Assembly bypoll in West Bengal’s Purba Medinipur district, moved the Calcutta High Court on Monday, fearing arrest in five other cases.
Pradhan was arrested in Chandipur on Friday in connection with an old murder case dating back to 2007, hours after former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced her support for him in the October 6 bypoll.
Appearing for Pradhan, lawyer Ayan Bhattacharya told the court, “My client has already been arrested in connection with an old case but he may be arrested again in five other cases. He should be given protection in the five cases because he is contesting as a Congress-nominated candidate in the Nandigram bypoll on 6 October.”
Justice Sougata Bhattacharya allowed Pradhan to file a petition and said he would hear the matter on September 22.
According to Purba Medinipur police sources, Pradhan was allegedly involved in an old murder case and an arrest warrant had been issued against him. He was arrested a day before the September 19 deadline for filing nomination papers and was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody by the Haldia sub-divisional court.
The developments came amid high drama over the Nandigram bypoll after Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate fielded by the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress faction, withdrew her nomination on Friday. Mamata subsequently announced support for Pradhan.
Sanchita withdrew her nomination minutes after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state PWD tent on Red Road in Kolkata on Friday afternoon.
The arrest of Pradhan has triggered political tension in Nandigram. Congress alleged that the BJP government led by Suvendu Adhikari wanted to make Bengal a state without opposition and claimed that Pradhan’s arrest was part of the party’s attempt to suppress the Opposition. The BJP rejected the allegations, saying the police had acted according to law and that the arrest had no political connection.
The BJP has fielded Hasirani Rath, mother of Chandranath Rath, Suvendu Adhikari’s slain personal assistant, from Nandigram. The Left Front, Indian Secular Front and the rebel Trinamool faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee have also fielded candidates.
The Election Commission of India on Friday allotted separate names and symbols to the two rival Trinamool Congress factions ahead of the October 6 bypoll. The Mamata Banerjee-led group was named ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and allotted the ‘Football Player’ symbol, while the faction led by Arup Roy was named ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and allotted the ‘Envelope’ symbol.
The interim arrangement followed the EC’s order on Thursday night barring both factions from using the All India Trinamool Congress name and its reserved ‘Jora Ghash Phul’ symbol for the bypoll. The two groups were asked to submit preferred names and symbols by Friday morning.
