New Delhi: The West Bengal Police on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Calcutta High Court’s order granting interim bail to Congress candidate Milan Pradhan to enable him to contest the Nandigram Assembly bypoll.
The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta seeking that the West Bengal government’s plea be listed for hearing on Thursday.
SG Mehta pressed for urgent listing, contending that any hearing after the election would render the plea infructuous. “He has been granted bail for the election. Can I take a chance tomorrow? That’s all I’m saying,” the Solicitor General, appearing for the West Bengal government, submitted.
However, CJI Surya Kant declined to list the matter for Thursday, saying that the top court’s board was already very lengthy.
“Our board is very lengthy. We will surely dismiss this, but we will dismiss it on Monday, not tomorrow,” the CJI said.
When SG Mehta again requested that the matter be listed on Thursday, CJI Kant reiterated, “No. Monday.”
The West Bengal Police have challenged the interim bail granted to Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate contesting the Nandigram bypoll, by a single-judge Bench of the Calcutta High Court.
On Tuesday, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh granted interim bail to Pradhan till October 20, specifically observing that the relief was being granted to enable him to contest the bypoll and participate freely in the election campaign like other candidates.
The Calcutta High Court also clarified that the interim bail would operate in relation to all six cases registered against Pradhan.
Pradhan was in judicial custody in connection with two old murder cases registered in 2007 in relation to the anti-land acquisition movement at Nandigram during the Left Front government in West Bengal.
His judicial custody was otherwise scheduled to continue till October 5.
The Nandigram Assembly bypoll is scheduled to be held on October 6, with counting of votes to take place on October 9.
While granting interim bail, the High Court imposed several conditions on Pradhan. He has been directed to surrender before a district court in Haldia in East Midnapore immediately after the election process is over.
He has also been directed to contact the concerned police station at 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. every day and speak to the Investigating Officer during the period of interim bail.
The High Court is scheduled to hear the matter again on October 11, a day after the interim bail period expires.
Pradhan was arrested on September 18, shortly after former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that her Trinamool Congress faction would support the Congress candidate in the Nandigram bypoll.
The announcement came after the withdrawal of the Trinamool Congress candidate Sanchita Dey Pradhan from the contest.
The Nandigram seat fell vacant after incumbent MLA Suvendu Adhikari, who had won from both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the West Bengal Assembly elections earlier this year, retained Bhabanipur.
(IANS)
