"High Court Postpones Decision on Pre-Arrest Bail for Ex-Congress Candidate Bam"

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on an anticipatory bail application filed by former Congress leader Akshay Kanti Bam in an attempt to murder case to May 24.In more trouble for him, local police confirmed that they had received the arrest warrants issued against him and his father by the sessions court.

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing on an anticipatory bail application filed by former Congress leader Akshay Kanti Bam in an attempt to murder case to May 24.

In more trouble for him, local police confirmed that they had received the arrest warrants issued against him and his father by the sessions court. Bam (46), who had filed the nomination as Congress candidate for the Indore Lok Sabha constituency, withdrew from the race on the last date and later joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. He moved the HC for anticipatory bail after the lower court issued arrest warrants against him and his father Kantilal (75) on May 10 in response to a plea submitted by Yunus Patel, a farmer who has accused the duo of trying to kill him over a land dispute 17 years ago.

On Friday, Patel's lawyer Mukesh Deval sought time to submit his objections. ''Accepting our plea, the HC fixed the next hearing on May 24,'' the lawyer said. Police, meanwhile, said they had received the arrest warrants against the father-son duo.

''A search has been launched for them to execute the warrants,'' Khajrana police station in-charge Sujit Shrivastava told PTI.

No police personnel were seen outside Bam's house on Friday. Police had provided security to him, expecting trouble when he withdrew his nomination paper and put Congress in an embarrassing situation where it had no candidate in the fray. When asked why he was enjoying security even after arrest warrants were issued, police had said they were yet to receive the warrants.

A magistrate's court added the charge of attempt to murder in the 17-year-old case against Bam and his father on April 24. Five days later, Bam withdrew his nomination.