Medha Patkar gets 5 month jail sentence, Rs 10 lakh fine in defamation case against Delhi LG VK Saxena

The court's decision came after considering the extensive evidence presented over the years. Despite the severity of the sentence, the court suspended it for one month to allow Patkar time to appeal the ruling.

Team Asianet Newsable

First Published Jul 1, 2024, 5:01 PM IST

In a significant legal development, Delhi's Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma on Monday (July 1) sentenced activist Medha Patkar to five months of simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh in a defamation case that has spanned over two decades. The case was filed against her by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, who headed an NGO in Gujarat at the time of the alleged defamation.

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The judge, while rejecting Patkar's plea for probation, cited the nature of the offence and the prolonged legal proceedings as factors in the sentencing decision.

Earlier, on May 24, the court had found Patkar's statements branding Saxena as a "coward" and accusing him of involvement in hawala transactions to be defamatory. These remarks were deemed not only defamatory per se but also designed to create negative perceptions about Saxena.

The court further noted that Patkar's allegations against Saxena, including claims of "mortgaging" Gujarat's resources to foreign interests, directly attacked his integrity and public service.

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The sentencing proceedings concluded on May 30, following which the judgment on the duration of the sentence was reserved until June 7.

This legal battle dates back to 2000 when Patkar initiated legal action against Saxena for publishing advertisements against her and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). Saxena had also filed separate cases in 2001, alleging derogatory remarks made by Patkar against him on a TV channel and through a defamatory press statement.

Last Updated Jul 1, 2024, 5:31 PM IST