New Delhi. In the defamation case, the Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and punishment of the Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar. In the Supreme Court, Justice MM Sundresh and Justice N. A bench of Kotishwar Singh said on Monday that it would not intervene in the Delhi High Court order. The current Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena filed a defamation case against Medha Patkar 25 years ago. The Supreme Court gave Medha Patkar only so much relief that he would not have to pay a fine.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court released Medha Patkar on the probation of good conduct. Also asked to appear in the trial court once in three years. VK Saxena was the head of an NGO in Gujarat while making a defamation case against social activist Medha Patkar. Medha Patkar was sentenced by the trial court on 1 July 2024 to 5 months of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10 lakh. The trial court had admitted that the statements of the leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan were not only defamation, but also to incite negative perceptions against VK Saxena.
Medha Patkar had accused VK Saxena that he was mortgaging the people of Gujarat and his resources for foreign interest. The trial court had said that the allegation is an attack on the complainant’s honesty and public service. The order of the trial court was challenged by Medha Patkar in the sessions court, but from there he was also convicted. The sessions court had asked Medha Patkar to fill a bond of 25 thousand and pay 1 lakh fine. Medha Patkar challenged it in the Delhi High Court. Where the High Court also retained the sentence, but also released Medha Patkar on the probation of good conduct. Now social worker Medha Patkar will not have to pay the fine, but in the defamation case, she has proved to be guilty of the country’s largest court.
