Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate for the Nandigram by-election, was placed under judicial custody till October 3.

A local court placed Milan Pradhan, the Congress candidate for the Nandigram by-election, under judicial prison till October 3, one day after he was arrested on several allegations, including murder, dating back 19 years. After being arrested on Friday, Pradhan appeared before the Haldia Subdivisional Court.

Pradhan was detained, according to the West Bengal Police, on four outstanding arrest warrants for his alleged involvement in non-bailable charges involving rioting, murder, attempted murder, kidnapping, and criminal intimidation that were filed during the 2007 anti-land acquisition campaign in Nandigram. According to authorities, he was also arrested under pertinent provisions of the Arms Act.

A counsel appearing for Pradhan said, “The court has remanded Milan Pradhan to judicial custody for 14 days in connection with the three warrants associated with cases in Nandigram police station. He will be produced before the Contai court on Monday in connection with the fourth warrant issued in cases registered with the Khejuri police station.” “The prosecution maintained in court that Pradhan was absconding for the past 19 years and the police were unable to trace him. They have arrested him now because they have only now been able to find him,” he added.

The arrest of the Congress candidate occurred just hours after Mamata Banerjee, the former chief minister of West Bengal, declared her support for him in the October 6 Nandigram Assembly bypoll following the withdrawal of Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the nominee of her group. Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress group and the Congress both said the lawsuit was being used to target the opposition in advance of the election. The BJP has denied the accusations and insisted that the detention had to do with an ongoing criminal case.