Milan Pradhan, who was selected as the Congress party's candidate for the Nandigram by-election, was taken into police custody following the issuance of four active arrest warrants. According to the West Bengal Police, these warrants pertain to long-standing legal cases involving serious criminal allegations, including murder, attempted murder, rioting, kidnapping, and criminal intimidation.

Following his arrest, a court ordered that Pradhan be held in judicial custody until October 3. The legal proceedings have created a significant hurdle for the Congress party’s campaign in the region, as the candidate is now incarcerated during the lead-up to the bypoll. While the police have cited the existence of non-bailable warrants as the basis for the arrest, the timing of the detention—occurring shortly after his nomination—has drawn attention to the intersection of local criminal justice and electoral politics. At this time, neither the Congress party leadership nor Pradhan’s legal representatives have issued a detailed public rebuttal regarding the specific merits of the underlying charges or the timing of the police action.