The State Wo-men’s Commission on Monday began hearing in the case involving BJP legislator Renukacharya and nurse P V Jayalakshmi. Commission Chairperson Pramila Nesargi fixed June 11 as the next date of hearing as nine witnesses, including Jayalakshmi, did not turn up.

The hearing concluded with Renukacharya’s wife Suma giving a written statement to the commission, seeking stern action against Jayalakshmi for “harassing” her husband and “damaging the reputation” of her family.
An emotionally charged Suma argued that it was a case of a “woman exploiting another woman. The commission should take action against the nurse so that no woman suffers like me and no man is cheated like my husband,” she said.

She called Jayalakshmi, a “rakshasi (vampire), hungry for blood. She is always after rich persons. Any other person in my husband’s place wouldn’t have survived the ordeal. I have full faith in my husband. He is kind-hearted and a good father,” a distraught Suma said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Ms Suma explained to Ms Nesargi in a packed room how Jayalakshmi  “achieved proximity” to her family. “She was very poor when she was working as a nurse at Honnali. She accumulated a lot of wealth within a year. I’ve proof how she cheated others,” she claimed. Jayalakshmi tried to separate her from her husband. “She tried to blackmail him and cheated him after taking financial help from him,” Ms Suma charged.

Though Ms Nesargi had summoned Jayalakshmi, she failed to show up. Other witnesses who did not appear before the Commission included Ravi Prakash, Ramesh of Mallige Hospital, representatives of Dharmashree Resorts and JJ Resorts.

Mr Renukacharya’s advocate Kalyan Basavaraj submitted three memoranda, seeking records available with it, reports carried by the media after the commission began its proceedings and “extension of time” to go through the records. Mr Renukacharya hoped truth will come out.