Bengaluru: Abdul Nasser Madani, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has cancelled his trip to his home state Kerala due to the Supreme Court's rejection of his plea to reduce the "high cost" charged by the Karnataka police for his security. Madani expressed his inability to pay such a high amount, adding that doing so would set a wrong precedent.

Madani emphasised that the denial of justice cannot be tolerated, even if someone is willing to fund his trip. Allowing such a precedent to be set would only exacerbate many of the issues society faces today. Therefore, he stated that he cannot accept the high cost of security demanded by the Karnataka police for his travel to Kerala and will not visit under these conditions.

He stated that he will discuss further legal action with his lawyers in response to the Supreme Court's decision. He stressed that the maximum loss due to health problems is death, and even in the face of death, he would like to be remembered as someone who fought for justice. 

Madani also clarified that his desire to see his sick father motivated him to file the petition to travel to Kerala despite his own health issues. He explained that his voice is not one of defiance, but rather the voice of someone who has been denied justice and who feels the pain of that denial.

On Monday, the Supreme Court rejected Madani's plea against the Karnataka government's demand for Rs. 56.63 lakh as expense for his security during his visit to Kerala. The court allowed him to visit his home in Kerala for medical treatment, but required him to pay for security cover. The Karnataka government informed the court that they cannot reduce the number of police officers accompanying Madani during his stay in Kerala until July 8.

Madani, who is accused in the 2008 Bengaluru blast case, is currently on bail. He cannot leave Bengaluru due to bail conditions. He had requested the Supreme Court to direct the Karnataka government to reduce their demand for security cover, which initially stood at Rs. 20.23 lakh per month for 20 policemen to accompany him. The Karnataka government argued in a counter affidavit filed on Saturday that they had arrived at the figure after a police team led by Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Yathish Chandra submitted a report.

It is worth noting that during a previous visit to the state, the court had relaxed the initial amount asked by the Karnataka government.