West Bengal MLA Humayun Kabir Arrested During Assembly By-Elections

Police arrested Humayun Kabir, chief of the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) and MLA for Nowda, at his party office in Rejinagar, Murshidabad, on October 6, 2026. The detention occurred during Assembly by-elections for the Rejinagar and Nandigram constituencies. Authorities, including SDPO Anandjit Hore and SP Sachin Makkar, stated Kabir was not an authorized election agent and was attempting to influence voters in violation of the law.

Kabir accused the police of "hijacking the voting process" and intimidating voters at the behest of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. He further claimed that police had been committing atrocities and launching attacks for two months. The Rejinagar by-election was triggered by Kabir's own resignation from the seat, which his son, Golam Nabi Azad, is now contesting.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari responded to the arrest by stating that the law is equal for everyone. West Bengal BJP President Samik Bhattacharya and BJP candidate Sakharav Sarkar also defended the police action, with Bhattacharya asserting that those engaging in divisive politics and inciting riots should be arrested regardless of the date. Simultaneously, candidates in the Nandigram constituency alleged polling irregularities and police misconduct. The Election Commission has scheduled the counting of votes for October 9.