Calcutta high court bail clears deck for Rakesh Singh to contest polls

KOLKATA: The Calcutta HC on Monday granted bail to Rakesh Singh, a BJP functionary in jail for five and a half months, for contesting polls for the Kolkata Port assembly seat.

The HC accepted Singh's plea, though his son remains in prison, after Bengal BJP submitted a letter to HC that they intend to nominate Singh as its candidate. Kolkata Port is the only Bengal constituency in which BJP has not yet named a candidate.

On Oct 27, 2025, Singh, his daughter and two sons were accused of threatening a family and assaulting them, demanding they vacate their property. Singh's son Subham is still in jail; his daughter got bail in Nov 2025. The Bengal govt told the HC that the EC's portal names Singh as a "history-sheeter" and a "trouble monger."

The HC in its order noted Singh's submissions, which said, "While the names of other candidates of the opposition parties have been declared, the candidate for the Kolkata Port has not yet been announced due to the pendency of the bail application. A letter from the president of the state unit of the party has also been produced, indicating that the petitioner's name has been proposed for candidature." The HC, while granting bail, said Singh cannot leave the constituency, unless for filing nomination or attending vote counting.

Singh posted an old photograph with a victory sign on his Facebook account after he secured the bail. "Despite the atrocities by the goons of minister Firhad Hakim, truth has prevailed. After 163 days of struggle, the court has delivered its verdict in our favour in 16 false cases," he posted.

The developments coincided with mayor Firhad Hakim filing his nomination for this seat.