New Delhi. Congress candidate Milan Pradhan has not got any relief from the Calcutta High Court at present in the by-election to be held on Nandigram assembly seat of West Bengal. Milan Pradhan filed a petition in the High Court challenging his arrest, the hearing on which has been postponed till October 12. A day earlier, a court in East Medinipur district had ordered to send Pradhan to judicial custody for 14 days. Pradhan was arrested on September 18 in connection with the riots and murder related to the protests against land acquisition in Nandigram in September 2007.
Senior advocate Ayan Bhattacharya appeared on behalf of Pradhan in the High Court and presented arguments opposing the arrest. He said that this is a perfect example of undermining the democratic process. In his petition filed in the Calcutta High Court, Pradhan has also sought protection from further arrest in any other related criminal case related to land acquisition, as there are six more such cases dating back to 2007, Bar & Bench reported. However, the state government told the court that there was no need to arrest Pradhan in any other such criminal case. There is a by-election in Nandigram on October 6 and the last date of campaigning is October 4. In such a situation, due to the arrest, Congress candidate Pradhan himself will not be able to campaign for himself.
Let us tell you that along with Congress, Mamata Banerjee is also opposing the arrest of Milan Pradhan. Actually, Mamata Banerjee's party Mamata All India Trinamool Congress candidate Sanchita Pradhan Dey has withdrawn from the elections and has taken her nomination. After this, Mamta had announced her support to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in a press conference. Milan Pradhan was arrested a few hours later on the same day Mamata made this announcement.