Nandigram Bypoll: Calcutta HC Grants Interim Bail To Cong Candidate, Relief To His Rival Too

Mr Pradhan got the relief when Justice Tirthankar Ghosh gave him three weeks’ time till October 21 for his bypoll contest. The judge observed that the Congress candidate was arrested only after he filed his nomination papers and that the cases against him were related to the 2007 Nandigram agitation.

He also noted that the state government could not submit any material to substantiate Mr Pradhan being wanted in connection with any offence after 2007 while the Central Bureau of Investigation already probed the same cases.

Mr Pradhan was taken into custody by the cops of Khejuri police station in East Midnapore on September 18 evening within hours of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s offer to support him in the bypoll after her faction’s candidate Sanchita Dey Pradhan representing Trinamul Congress withdrew her nomination.

The Court however pointed out that the police had enough time to execute the warrants in cases on Mr Pradhan which were almost 19 years old. Meanwhile, BJP candidate for the same seat Hasirani Rath also got a relief from the HC as Justice Krishna Rao dismissed a plea filed by the Congress seeking the cancellation of her nomination.

In its petition, the Congress had alleged that Ms Rath, whose year of birth is 1966, stated in her affidavit to the election commission (EC) of passing the secondary (Madhyamik) examination from Choukhali Gangakhali Girls School in 1965. The party questioned the authenticity of Ms Rath’s declaration. Hearing it’s arguments, the judge however held that no objection or complaint was lodged with the EC on the matter before the nomination phase ended. He later rejected the appeal.