MP High Court adjourns hearing on pre-arrest bail plea of ex-Congress leader Akshay Kanti Bam

Indore: The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday adjourned till May 29 an anticipatory bail plea filed by Akshay Kanti Bam, who withdrew as Congress candidate from Indore Lok Sabha seat at the last moment, in an attempt to murder case.

Justice Prem Narayan Singh of the Indore bench of the HC scheduled the hearing on the pre-arrest pleas filed by Bam and his father to next Wednesday.

The sessions court here on May 10 issued arrest warrants against Bam (46), who is now with the ruling BJP, and his father Kantilal (75), and police have said that they are searching for the duo.

A review petition filed by them before the sessions court was to be taken up on Friday. But the court deferred it to July 5 after the petitioners' lawyers sought time.

The review petition challenged a Judicial Magistrate First Class' (JMFC) order of April 24 adding the charge of attempt to murder under IPC section 307 against the father and son in the 17-year-old case.

Yunus Patel, a farmer, had lodged a complaint against Bam and his father in 2007 claiming that they assaulted him over a land dispute.

Four days after the JMFC added the attempt to murder charge, Bam withdrew his nomination as Congress candidate. As he did so on the last date for withdrawal, the Congress was left with no candidate in the fray.

Soon, Bam joined the BJP.

Polling was held in Indore -- where the BJP has been winning for the last 35 years -- on May 13.