Kolkata, September 19: Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll, Milan Pradhan, was produced before a court on Saturday following his arrest in connection with pending cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement, with the Congress alleging that the action was politically motivated.
Pradhan and West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee secretary Subhashis Bhattacharya were arrested in Chandipur amid heightened political activity in the constituency ahead of the October 6 bypoll.
According to Congress leaders, Bhattacharya was arrested for allegedly obstructing police personnel from apprehending Pradhan.
Reacting to Pradhan's arrest, All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for West Bengal Prakash Joshi alleged that the police action was politically motivated. He claimed that the arrest came after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's faction extended support to Pradhan following the withdrawal of its candidate from the bypoll.
"The moment Congress fielded Milan Pradhan—who was a key figure in the 2007 Nandigram land acquisition movement—the Chief Minister was bound to feel threatened," Joshi told ANI.
He also referred to BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's association with the 2007 movement and alleged that Pradhan's political standing had prompted concerns ahead of the bypoll.
Joshi further alleged that a case dating back to the agitation had been revived after Pradhan believed that the matter had been closed.
"He was under the impression that his case was also closed... only for the case to be suddenly reopened and for him to be jailed," Joshi alleged.
The Congress leader also claimed that Pradhan had been pressured to withdraw from the electoral contest, alleging that police personnel had attempted to persuade and bribe him to give up. These allegations have not been independently established.
Bhattacharya, meanwhile, recounted the circumstances surrounding Pradhan's arrest. He said he was staying at a house in the area when he heard Pradhan calling out for help as police personnel arrived to take him into custody.
Pradhan's arrest is linked to pending cases registered in connection with the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition agitation. According to reports, police executed a pending warrant in a murder case related to the movement. Pradhan has been named in multiple cases connected with the agitation.
The arrest came hours after Mamata Banerjee announced that her faction would support Pradhan in the Nandigram bypoll after its candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, withdrew from the contest.
Banerjee questioned the timing of the arrest and alleged that an old case had been revived after her faction extended support to the Congress candidate. The Congress also raised questions over the timing of the police action, pointing out that the cases date back to 2007.
West Bengal Congress president Subhankar Sarkar said the party was initially unaware of the reason for Pradhan's arrest and his whereabouts.
The BJP, however, rejected allegations of political interference and maintained that the police action was taken in accordance with the law. A police officer cited in reports said the arrest was related to a pending warrant in a 2007 murder case and that such warrants are executed irrespective of elections.
The Nandigram Assembly bypoll is scheduled to be held on October 6, with counting of votes set for October 9.
