The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to arrested Nandigram bypoll candidate of the Congress, Milan Pradhan, in six criminal cases lodged in 2007.
Interim bail granted till October 20
The court granted the Congress candidate relief till October 20, allowing him to campaign for the October 6 bypoll to the Nandigram Assembly seat, vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who has opted to retain Bhabanipur, which he had also won in the state polls earlier this year.
Pradhan directed to surrender on October 21
Granting the interim relief, Justice Tirthankar Ghosh directed Pradhan to surrender before the trial court on October 21. The high court judge also directed Pradhan to deposit Rs 20,000 bail bond in each of the six criminal cases for which he was arrested.
Cases date back to Nandigram movement
All these criminal cases on charges such as murder and attempt to murder, and for violation of the Arms Act provisions, were filed against Pradhan in 2007 during the Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement.
Campaigning for the bypoll ends on October 4, and the counting of votes will be held on October 9.