Ahead of October 6 bypoll, West Bengal Police searches house of TMC leader in decades-old cases

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Police on Sunday (September 27, 2026) searched the house of a Trinamool Congress leader in Nandigram in connection with cases registered around 15 to 20 years ago, a senior officer said.

A team from Nandigram Police Station conducted the search at Sheikh Shahabuddin's residence, but he was not at home at that time, he 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.

Members of Mr. Shahabuddin's family declined to comment on the police action.

The action came ahead of the October 6 bypoll to the Nandigram Assembly seat that was vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who opted to retain Bhabanipur.

The nominee of the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, has withdrawn from the contest.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 based on four 19-year-old pending arrest warrants connecting 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.

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