SC rebukes K'taka govt for raising Rs 15L escort bill against Maudany

The Supreme Court on Monday castigated the Karnataka government for raising a bill of about Rs 15 lakh for police escort, that will accompany Kerala's People’s Democratic Party leader Abdul Nazeer Maudany, an accused in serial blasts in Bengaluru, on his visit to his home state for attending his son’s marriage.

Maudany (51) was granted permission by the apex court on July 31 to attend various functions to be held in Thalassery, Ernakulam and Kollam and to visit his ailing mother too between August 2 and 14.

“Is this the way you carry out the orders of the Supreme Court? Don't scuttle it. We expect some seriousness on the part of the state,” a bench of Justices S A Bobde and L Nageswara Rao told Karnataka standing counsel Joseph Aristotle. “Why do you want to make it impossible,” the bench further asked the state.

Advocates Prashant Bhushan and Haris Beeran, representing Maudany, submitted that the apex court’s order was sought to be frustrated by the state government by raising a demand of Rs 15 lakh from Maudany. They said, last time, when he visited Kerala for his daughter's wedding, he was asked to pay just Rs 18,000 and when he visited his mother, there was no charge levied on him.

“How can he pay such an absurd amount,” Bhushan asked. They also questioned the huge posse of policemen, 19 in number, in the escort.

Karnataka counsel, for his part, maintained that the amount charged on Maudany was computed as per a 1991 circular. He contended that the state had already spent Rs 6 crore on Maudany.

The court, however, pointed out these policemen were otherwise being paid salary. The state can only charge to the extent of TA/DA.

The bench asked the state counsel to take fresh instructions by Friday. A letter issued by the Office of Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru, to Maudany’s counsel stated the escort charges in respect of officers, including two ACPs, and vehicle expenses would come to about Rs 14,79,876. The total amount also included 18% GST.

During the hearing, the court also came down heavily on the Kerala government as it counsel G Prakash said Maudany was a state citizen so the state was ready to provide security to Maudany during his stay. “You don’t have anything to do with it. He is in custody of Karnataka police," the bench told him.

Maudany, facing trial in the 2008 Bengaluru serial blasts case, challenged the city court's order of July 24, declining him permission to attend son’s marriage functions. Though the trial court allowed him to visit his ailing mother between August 1 and 7, it refused the permission to attend the marriage function scheduled for August 9.