HC says ‘surprising’ that Congress Nandigram candidate arrested in sixth case while in custody

The Calcutta High Court on Thursday said it was “surprising” that Congress’ Nandigram bye-election candidate was arrested in yet another criminal case dating back to 2007 while he was in custody, Bar and Bench reported. This is the sixth case from 2007 in which Milan Pradhan has been arrested.

Pradhan was arrested on September 18 in connection with a 2007 murder case. He was subsequently shown to be arrested in four other cases and is currently in judicial custody.

The arrest had come hours after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that her faction of the Trinamool Congress would support him in the October 6 bye-poll. Minutes earlier, the faction’s candidate had withdrawn her nomination. This came shortly after photographs of her meeting West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari were shared online.

Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya was hearing Pradhan’s petition alleging that he had been “brazenly” implicated in a sixth case, despite the West Bengal government having stated during a hearing on Tuesday that he was not wanted in any other case, Live Law reported.

On Tuesday, the court recorded the state’s submission that Pradhan had 11 cases against him and he had been arrested in five of them, Live Law reported. Of the remaining six cases, five had been closed and he was not an accused in the sixth,...

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