States » EastPosted at: Sep 19 2026 3:09PM


Police say Nandigram Congress candidate Milan Pradhan evaded arrest for 19 years

Kolkata, September 19 (UNI) Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll Milan Pradhan, who was arrested from the Chandipur police station area on Friday on the basis of four non-bailable warrants issued by courts, was produced before the Haldia court on Saturday.
Milan Pradhan was arrested by police in connection with cases dating back to the 2007 Nandigram land acquisition movement, shortly after Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announced support for his candidature.
In a statement, police said three of the cases were registered at Nandigram police station and one at Khejuri police station. Three of the four cases involve charges under the Arms Act, they said.
Police said Milan Pradhan was allegedly been absconding for 19 years in connection with cases filed during the 2007 Nandigram movement.
Pradhan was arrested from the Chandipur police station area on Friday, shortly after Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announced her support for the Congress candidate in the Nandigram bypoll.
In a statement issued after the arrest, police said three of the cases against Pradhan were registered at Nandigram police station and another at Khejuri police station. Three of the four cases involve charges under the Arms Act.
The cases also include allegations of murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping with intent to murder, destruction of evidence, criminal trespass and creating disturbances using weapons.
According to police, all the cases date back to 2007, when Nandigram witnessed a major movement against the proposed acquisition of land.
Investigators claimed that Pradhan has been evading the legal process since then.Police said they acted on the long-pending non-bailable warrants in accordance with directions of the Election Commission.Pradhan's arrest has triggered a political controversy with Congress alleging that its candidate was targeted after Banerjee announced support for the party in the bypoll.
West Bengal Pradesh Congress president Shubhankar Sarkar, who was present at the Haldia court, said the party would continue its political and legal battle.
“Even though our candidate has been arrested by the police, we will not leave the field. Our movement will continue politically and legally,” Sarkar said.
Recalling the historic Nandigram movement, Shubhankar said, “Just as our party and candidate were part of the Bhumiraksha Committee’s movement, chief minister Suvendu Adhikari and his father Sisir Babu were also involved. Then why has the axe fallen only on our candidate in these decades-old cases?”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also criticised the arrest on Friday, alleging on social media that Pradhan had been arrested as part of “political revenge”.
Ritabrata Banerjee, who is associated with the rival Trinamul faction, responded to Gandhi's post, claiming that the state Congress had not provided him with the complete information about the cases against Pradhan.
The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for October 6, with counting on October 9. The election was necessitated after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, who had contested from both Bhabanipur and Nandigram in the 2026 Assembly elections, retained Bhabanipur and vacated the Nandigram seat after winning both constituencies.
The arrest came amid developments surrounding the Trinamul Congress's symbol dispute.
Sanchita Pradhan De, the Kalighat faction's candidate in Nandigram, withdrew her nomination on Friday after meeting Adhikari.
Banerjee subsequently announced that she would support the Congress candidate, saying the decision had been taken earlier but had not been communicated to the party's workers.
Pradhan's arrest followed soon after the announcement, adding to the political tension surrounding the Nandigram bypoll. UNI SAG AAB
Tags: #Police say Nandigram Congress candidate Milan Pradhan evaded arrest for 19 years
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