Nandigram bypoll: Congress candidate Milan Pradhan remanded to 14-day custody
Synopsis
Congress candidate Milan Pradhan has been remanded to 14-day judicial custody in a 2007 murder case, just weeks before the Nandigram Assembly bypoll on October 6. He will likely contest from jail — unless a higher court grants bail — after police arrested him on the eve of the nomination withdrawal deadline, drawing sharp allegations of political targeting from the Congress.
Key Takeaways
Milan Pradhan , Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll , was denied bail and remanded to 14-day judicial custody on 19 September 2026 .
He will remain in custody until at least 3 October — three days before polling on 6 October .
He was arrested in connection with a 2007 murder case linked to the Nandigram anti-land acquisition agitation; four cases in total are registered against him.
Pradhan is set to appear again before the same court on Monday for a separate case at Khejuri Police Station .
The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee has alleged political motivation, noting police had not located Pradhan for 19 years until he filed his candidature.
Results for the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls will be declared on 9 October .
Milan Pradhan, the Indian National Congress candidate for the Nandigram Assembly bypoll in East Midnapore district, was on Saturday, 19 September 2026, denied bail by a district court in East Midnapore after being arrested in connection with a decades-old murder case. The court remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, keeping him behind bars until at least 3 October — just days before the bypoll.
Bypoll Timeline and What This Means
The Nandigram Assembly bypoll, along with that for the Rejinagar constituency in Murshidabad district, is scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 October. Pradhan's remand effectively bars him from the campaign trail. He will likely be forced to contest from jail unless a higher court intervenes and grants bail before polling day. Notably, the deadline for withdrawal of nominations for the Nandigram by-election passed on Saturday, and despite earlier speculation that Pradhan might pull out — as Sanchita Dey Pradhan of the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) reportedly did — he remained in the race.
The Arrest and Its Background
Pradhan was arrested on Friday evening from Chandipur in East Midnapore in connection with a 2007 murder case linked to the anti-land acquisition movement at Nandigram during the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee-led Left Front government. According to reports, a total of four cases — related to rioting, murder, and criminal intimidation — were registered against him during that period. He is set to be produced before the same district court again on Monday in relation to another old case registered at Khejuri Police Station in East Midnapore.
Congress Hits Out at BJP and State Government
The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee launched a sharp attack against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the West Bengal state government, alleging the arrest was politically motivated. State Congress leader Ajitesh Pandey said, 'The police told the district court that they had not found Milan for the last 19 years. Now they have found him after he became a candidate in the election. Isn't it strange?' Pandey added that Pradhan would appear before the same court on Monday in relation to a separate case at Khejuri Police Station, but insisted: 'We are not leaving the voting ground.'
Political Context
The Nandigram seat carries significant political symbolism in West Bengal — it was the epicentre of the 2007 anti-land acquisition agitation that eventually contributed to the fall of the Left Front government. The bypass now unfolds against a backdrop of multi-cornered contest, with the Congress, TMC, and BJP all fielding candidates. This comes amid a broader pattern of pre-poll legal action against candidates in West Bengal that opposition parties have repeatedly contested as state-machinery overreach. Whether Pradhan secures relief from a higher court in time to campaign will be a key factor shaping the Nandigram contest.
Point of View
After 19 years of apparent inaction on the same cases — raises legitimate questions about the use of law enforcement in electoral contests. West Bengal has a long record of pre-poll legal manoeuvres against opposition candidates, and the Congress's framing of this as politically motivated will resonate with a section of the electorate regardless of the merits of the underlying cases. What is undeniable is the structural disadvantage: a candidate in judicial custody cannot campaign, cannot meet voters, and will contest the Nandigram seat — historically one of Bengal's most charged constituencies — from behind bars. The BJP, whom the Congress has also blamed, is itself an adversary in this contest, complicating the Congress's narrative. Nandigram's symbolic weight means this case will be watched far beyond East Midnapore.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Milan Pradhan arrested ahead of the Nandigram bypoll?
Milan Pradhan was arrested on Friday evening in connection with a 2007 murder case linked to the anti-land acquisition movement at Nandigram during the Left Front government. A total of four cases — covering rioting, murder, and criminal intimidation — are registered against him from that period.
How long will Milan Pradhan remain in custody?
A district court in East Midnapore has remanded him to 14 days of judicial custody, meaning he will remain behind bars until at least 3 October 2026. The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for 6 October, so he would have to contest from jail unless a higher court grants bail.
When is the Nandigram Assembly bypoll?
The Nandigram bypoll is scheduled for 6 October 2026, alongside the Rejinagar constituency bypoll in Murshidabad district. Results for both seats will be declared on 9 October 2026.
What has the Congress said about the arrest?
The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee has alleged the arrest is politically motivated, pointing out that police claimed they could not locate Pradhan for 19 years but arrested him immediately after he filed his candidature. State Congress leader Ajitesh Pandey said the party will not withdraw from the contest.
What is the historical significance of Nandigram?
Nandigram was the site of a major anti-land acquisition agitation in 2007 against the Left Front government led by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. The violence there became a turning point in West Bengal politics and contributed to the eventual fall of the Left Front government, making the seat symbolically important across party lines.
