Story perspectives

Calcutta High Court Grants Milan Pradhan Interim Bail for By-Poll

By Drooid · Oct 1, 2026, 4:03 AM UTC · How we work

Center

Police Blindfolding Allegation

Calcutta High Court granted interim bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in six 2007 criminal cases, letting him contest the Nandigram Assembly by-poll on October 6.
West Bengal’s government petitioned Supreme Court to overturn bail, leading to an urgent hearing on October 5 before Chief Justice Surya Kant and two justices.
Pradhan alleged police blindfolded him, took him to a hotel and pressured him to quit.

Right

Wife Campaigns From Jail

Calcutta High Court granted bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in six criminal cases, allowing him to contest the Nandigram Assembly by-poll on October 6.
Wife Arpita Pradhan campaigned from jail, asserting the charges are false and designed to block his candidacy.
Judge Tirthankar Ghosh ordered Pradhan to surrender on October 21 and post Rs 20,000 bond per case.
Six cases stem from Nandigram protests, covering murder, attempted murder and Arms Act violations.

Blindspot

The West Bengal government filed a petition with the Supreme Court seeking to overturn the Calcutta High Court’s interim bail order for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Right-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

On 25 June 1975 Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, imposed a 21-month Emergency that suspended civil liberties and led to over 100,000 arrests. The Calcutta High Court’s recent bail for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan revives that precedent, while West Bengal asks the Supreme Court to overturn the decision, highlighting the Emergency’s lasting impact on India’s electoral jurisprudence.

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Police Blindfolding Allegation

Calcutta High Court granted interim bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in six 2007 criminal cases, letting him contest the Nandigram Assembly by-poll on October 6.
West Bengal’s government petitioned Supreme Court to overturn bail, leading to an urgent hearing on October 5 before Chief Justice Surya Kant and two justices.
Pradhan alleged police blindfolded him, took him to a hotel and pressured him to quit.

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