Milan Pradhan, the Indian National Congress candidate for the upcoming bypoll to the Nandigram Assembly Constituency in East Midnapore district, West Bengal, on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, alleged that state police officers pressured him to withdraw his nomination. Pradhan made the accusations shortly after walking out of a correctional home in Haldia, where he had been held following an arrest in an old murder case dating back to 2007.

What Milan Pradhan Alleged

Speaking to the media outside the correctional home in Haldia, Pradhan described a series of events he claimed unfolded on 18 September. He alleged that plainclothes police officers picked him up from Chandipur while he was campaigning, blindfolded him, and drove him to a hotel in Mandarmani.

'On September 18, some police officers in civil dress picked me up from Chandipur while I was campaigning,' Pradhan said. He further alleged that at the hotel, officers asked him to withdraw his candidature and offered unspecified inducements in exchange. He maintained that he was not formally arrested at that point.

'When I refused to withdraw my nomination, I was taken back to Chandipur and officially arrested there,' he said. The East Midnapore district police had not responded to his allegations at the time of filing this report.

Bail, Arrest and the High Court Order

Pradhan was arrested earlier this month in connection with a 2007 murder case. The Calcutta High Court, through a single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, granted him interim bail on Tuesday, 29 September, valid until 20 October. He was released from the correctional home on Wednesday afternoon after completing all required paperwork and formalities.

Notably, the West Bengal state government has moved the Supreme Court challenging the High Court's bail order. Pradhan, however, expressed confidence that the state's challenge would not succeed before the apex court. 'The state government would not succeed before the apex court,' he said.

The Bypoll Context

The bypolls for both the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies — the latter located in Murshidabad district — are scheduled for 6 October, with vote counting set for 9 October. Nandigram has historically been one of West Bengal's most politically charged constituencies, having been the site of the 2007 land acquisition protests that helped reshape the state's political landscape.

The timing of Pradhan's arrest and subsequent bail, coming just weeks before polling day, has added a sharp political dimension to what is already a high-stakes bypoll. This comes amid broader concerns about the conduct of elections in West Bengal, a state where accusations of electoral intimidation have periodically surfaced across party lines.

What Happens Next

With polling on 6 October, Pradhan now has a narrow window to campaign. Whether the Supreme Court acts on the state government's challenge before polling day will be closely watched. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has not yet issued a public statement on the allegations. All eyes remain on whether district authorities will respond formally to Pradhan's coercion claims before votes are cast.