West Bengal Police search TMC leader's Nandigram home ahead of October 6 bypoll
Nandigram Police searched the residence of TMC leader Sheikh Shahabuddin on Sunday over old warrants, days before the October 6 Assembly bypoll.
West Bengal Police on Sunday searched the residence of a Trinamool Congress leader in Nandigram, acting on warrants issued in connection with cases registered roughly 15 to 20 years ago, a senior officer said.
A team from Nandigram Police Station carried out the search at the home of Sheikh Shahabuddin. The TMC leader was not present at the time, the officer said.
"Warrants have been issued in Mr. Shahabuddin's name in connection with several cases dating back to 2007, 2009, and 2011. Our officers conducted search operations at his residence, but the TMC leader could not be spotted there," the officer said.
Family members of Mr. Shahabuddin declined to comment on the police action.
The search comes days ahead of the October 6 bypoll to the Nandigram Assembly seat, which was vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari after he chose to retain Bhabanipur.
In a related development, the nominee of the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, has withdrawn from the contest. Congress candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested on the basis of four 19-year-old pending arrest warrants linking him to serious offences allegedly committed during the 2007 agitation against land acquisition in the region.
Ms. Banerjee had extended her faction's support to the Congress in Nandigram.