New Delhi, April 25 (HS): The Saket Court in Delhi has granted bail to Medha Patkar, leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, who was convicted in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. The court directed Medha Patkar to pay a fine of one lakh rupees and a bond of 25 thousand rupees as a condition of her bail.
After a non-bailable warrant was issued by the Saket Sessions Court, the Delhi Police arrested Medha Patkar. Today, the police presented her in Saket Court, after which the court granted her bail. On April 23, the Saket Court’s Sessions Court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Medha Patkar for failing to pay the one lakh rupee fine. Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh had issued the non-bailable warrant against her. During the hearing on April 23, the lawyer representing VK Saxena stated that Medha Patkar had neither paid the fine nor appeared in court. Following this, the court ordered the issuance of a non-bailable warrant against Medha Patkar. Earlier, on April 22, the Delhi High Court had refused to stay the order of the Sessions Court regarding the one lakh rupee fine and had instructed Medha Patkar to approach the Sessions Court regarding this matter.
On April 8, the Sessions Court had provided relief to Medha Patkar by ordering her to remain on probation for one year in the criminal defamation case filed by VK Saxena in which she was convicted. This means that instead of serving a three-month jail sentence given by the magistrate court, Medha Patkar would remain on probation for one year. The court allowed her to remain on probation on the condition of her good behavior. The Judicial Magistrate had pronounced her sentence on July 1, 2024. The Judicial Magistrate’s court had stated that the maximum sentence in this case is two years, but considering Medha Patkar’s health, she was given a five-month sentence.
Medha Patkar stated in her defense filed in court that VK Saxena has been issuing false and defamatory statements since 2000. Patkar said that VK Saxena physically assaulted her in 2002, after which Medha filed an FIR in Ahmedabad. Medha stated in court that VK Saxena was working for corporate interests and was against the demands of those opposing the Sardar Sarovar project.
VK Saxena filed a criminal defamation case against Medha Patkar in an Ahmedabad court in 2001. The trial court in Gujarat took cognizance of the case. Later, in 2003, the Supreme Court transferred the hearing of this case from Gujarat to the Saket court in Delhi. Medha Patkar expressed her innocence and said she was willing to face trial in 2011. At the time VK Saxena filed the case in Ahmedabad, he was the president of the National Council for Civil Liberties.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
