According to the West Bengal Police, Pradhan was picked up on four arrest warrants that had been pending against himThe warrants relate to non-bailable cases in which he is alleged to have been involved in rioting, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping and criminal intimidation.
Published: September 19, 2026, 7:42 PM IST
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Nandigram candidate Milan Pradhan has been sen to judicial custodyANI
Milan Pradhan, Congress’ candidate in the Nandigram bypoll, was sent to judicial custody on Saturday, a day after he was arrested on multiple charges, murder among them, that go back 19 yearsA local court ordered him held till October 3.
That means he has effectively lost the chance to canvass for himselfCampaigning for the October 6 bypoll, to the Assembly seat vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, ends on October 4Adhikari resigned from the Nandigram seat in May, opting to retain Bhabanipur after defeating Mamata Banerjee in the Assembly poll held earlier this year.
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Why was Pradhan arrested?
Pradhan was produced before the Haldia Subdivisional Court on SaturdayThe West Bengal Police said Pradhan was arrested based on four pending arrest warrants for his alleged involvement in non-bailable cases related to murder, attempt to murder, abduction with intent to murder, causing disappearance of evidence, house trespass, rioting with arms and deadly weapons, all of which were filed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition movement in Nandigram.
He was also booked under relevant sections of the Arms Act, police saidA counsel appearing for Pradhan said, “The court has remanded Milan Pradhan to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the three warrants associated with cases in Nandigram police stationHe will be produced before the Contai court on Monday in connection with the fourth warrant issued in cases registered with the Khejuri police station.”
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“The prosecution maintained in court that Pradhan was absconding for the past 19 years and the police were unable to trace himThey have arrested him now because they have only now been able to find him,” he added.
Arrest comes hours after TMC supports Congress
The Congress candidate’s arrest came within hours of former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announcing her support for him in the Nandigram Assembly bypoll, after her faction’s nominee Sanchita Pradhan Dey withdrew from the contest.
Both the Congress and Trinamool Congress faction of Mamata Banerjee questioned the timing of the arrest and alleged the case was being used to target the opposition ahead of the election.
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“The timing (of the arrest) raises serious questions and is the usual BJP formula: dig out an old caseBut why now? Just after we announced support to the Congress! The BJP’s politics of vendetta and atrocities show a clear patternWith manipulation, with vote loot, with intimidation, the election agency-BJP partnership is killing democracy every day,” Banerjee remarked on X on Friday.
BJP rejected allegations of mishandling
The BJP has rejected the allegations and maintained that the arrest was related to pending criminal casesThe state police maintained that repeated attempts to arrest Pradhan in the past failed since he was absconding.
“The arrested person had been absconding and evading the due process of law for 19 years since 2007 and stands chargesheeted in the cases concerned as an absconderRepeated attempts to execute the warrants had failed in the past, and non-execution reports had been duly submitted to the concerned courts from time to time,” police said in a statement.
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“Execution of long-pending non-bailable warrants is a standing instruction of the Election Commission of India in respect of all elections/bye-electionsThe arrest of Pradhan is a lawful step towards compliance with the same during the course of an ongoing special drive,” the statement added.
Congress leaders have strongly protested Pradhan’s arrest, with party general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal accusing the BJP of attempting to eliminate opposition voices in Bengal and describing the situation as an “assault on democracy”.
Senior Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury also criticised the action and questioned the timing of the arrest, while Rahul Gandhi condemned it in a video message and said the party would continue its electoral fight.
