NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has slammed the Karnataka government for demanding a huge sum of money to take PDP chairman Abdul Nazer Mahdani to Kerala. The Supreme Court observed that the Karnataka government's action waters down the court order. Mahdani's family had filed a petition in the Supreme Court after the Karnataka government demanded 20 lakhs per month to take Mahdani to Kerala. The court made the remarks today while it is about to consider the petition on Monday

The court asked how the Karnataka government increased the number of officials accompanying Mahdani to Kerala from 4 to 20. The Supreme Court sought a reply from the Karnataka government on the issue. Mahdani, an accused in the Bengaluru blast case, has been living in Karnataka for a long time as per bail conditions. He got an opportunity to visit Kerala again after he approached the Supreme Court to meet his ailing father.

The Karnataka police demanded Rs 60 lakh (Rs 20 lakh per month) from Mahdani's family in order to accompany him for 82 days. The Karnataka police explained that this amount is for the travel and accommodation facilities of 20 police officers accompanying Mahdani throughout his visit to Kerala. However, Mahdani's family approached the Supreme Court saying that they cannot pay such a huge amount and that the Karnataka government was trying to overturn Mahdani's bail.