Premium

Opinion Delhi LG Saxena vs activist Medha Patkar: The story of a 20-year-old case of alleged defamation

Patkar has been convicted of defamation. She was arrested, but was released on the condition that she furnishes the probation bond and deposits the compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh as ordered by the court. What did she do?

Activist and founder member of Narmada Bachao Andolan Medha Patkar, with activist Aruna Roy in the background. (Express archives/ Rohit Jain Paras)

Nirbhay Thakur

New DelhiApril 25, 2025 06:52 PM IST First published on: Apr 25, 2025 at 06:52 PM IST

A court in Delhi on Friday (April 25) directed the release of social activist Medha Patkar hours after she was arrested in a 24-year-old defamation case filed by V K Saxena, now the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi.

A sessions court had issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Patkar on Wednesday after she failed to furnish probation bonds in the case. On Friday morning, police took her into custody at her home, and arrested her on the way to court, Patkar’s lawyer said.

The activist was produced before the court of Additional Sessions Judge Vipin Kharb at 12.30 pm, and was released on the condition that she furnishes the probation bond and deposits the compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh.

The defamation case

In 2000, Patkar was leading the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), a social and environmental movement against large dams, and an NGO led by Saxena was actively supporting the Gujarat government’s Sardar Sarovar hydroelectric project on the Narmada river.

On November 25 that year, Patkar issued a press release alleging that a cheque issued to the NBA, allegedly at the behest of the NGO National Council of Civil Liberties, had bounced. Saxena was the president of the NGO at the time, and Patkar alleged that the organisation was secretly backing the NBA.

Also Read | Medha Patkar saga: From Narmada anti-dam movement face to fighter for many causes

She also allegedly described Saxena as a “coward”, and accused him of involvement in hawala transactions.

Saxena sued for defamation in Ahmedabad in 2001. The case was transferred to Delhi in 2003.

Two decades later

On May 24 last year, a Magistrate Court in Delhi found Patkar guilty. On July 1, she was sentenced to five months in jail and directed to pay Rs 10 lakh to the complainant.

On appeal, Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh suspended the sentence and granted Patkar bail on July 29 to enable her to appeal the sentencing order of the Magistrate Court.

On April 2 this year, ASJ Singh upheld the Magistrate Court’s conviction. But a week later, on April 8, he granted the 70-year-old activist probation, which is a non-institutional treatment of offenders subject to good conduct, taking into consideration her age and the gravity of the offence committed by her. He also reduced the fine from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 lakh.

The court directed Patkar to furnish probation bonds on April 23. But when she failed to do so, it issued an NBW against her.

Meanwhile, Patkar had moved a criminal revision petition at the Delhi High Court against the April 2 conviction. She withdrew this application on Friday morning.

She had also approached the HC seeking a two-week stay on the proceedings for execution of a probation bond. Her plea was rejected by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, and she was directed to approach the lower court.