Kolkata: “Let him (Milan Pradhan) contest,” observed CJI Surya Kant on Monday as the Supreme Court adjourned Bengal govt’s plea challenging the Calcutta High Court’s interim bail to Pradhan for hearing to Oct 7, a day after the elections.The matter came up for hearing before a bench of CJI Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana. Justice Bagchi recused himself citing a conflict of interest because he had represented some of the parties in the underlying case during his legal practice.Representing Bengal govt, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said nonbailable warrants had been issued against Pradhan in 2007 in connection with a murder case, and that Pradhan had been “protected” by the governing dispensation, due to which the warrants were never executed.To this, CJI Surya Kant observed that the system must ensure accountability and action shouldn’t be taken “suddenly, when someone wants to contest elections.” “Action should be taken against those police officers,” the CJI said.Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Pradhan, argued that the state govt had sought a “pound of flesh” just before the elections. He pointed out that the case dates back to 2007 and that he was granted bail only for 21 days.SG Mehta said action was being sought now because the nonbailable warrants issued in Pradhan’s name had surfaced only when he filed his nomination.CJI Kant refused to list the matter on Oct 6. “Let him (Pradhan) contest and conclude elections peacefully,” the CJI told the SG. “It’s an old issue, thousands of people were present,” he added.Pradhan was granted bail on Sept 29 for three weeks by a Calcutta HC bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh. The HC had noted that Pradhan was not in custody when he filed his nomination and that the state had 19 years to execute the warrants against him.Congress had dubbed Pradhan’s arrest and subsequent legal moves against him “political vendetta”. Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar said, “False cases were weaponised after he became a candidate.”
