A Delhi court on Tuesday granted a conditional reprieve to Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar, placing her on a one-year probation in a long-standing defamation case initiated by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena. The decision comes after Patkar appealed her initial conviction and subsequent five-month sentence.
Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh, presiding over the case, reduced Patkar’s financial penalty significantly—from ₹10 lakh to ₹1 lakh—and highlighted factors such as her age, the gravity of the offense, and her clean prior record. “The court has considered the defendant’s age and the fact that she has not been previously convicted in deciding to grant probation,” stated Judge Singh.
The case traces back to November 2000 when Saxena, then president of the National Council of Civil Liberties, accused Patkar of issuing a defamatory press release that damaged his reputation. The contentious statements in the release labeled Saxena a “coward” and implicated him in unethical financial transactions and exploitative practices against the people of Gujarat.
In May of the previous year, a magisterial court upheld the defamation charge, stating that Patkar’s accusations were inherently defamatory and designed to foster negative views of Saxena, affecting his integrity and public service.
Following the magisterial court’s ruling, which sentenced her to simple imprisonment, Patkar sought relief in a higher court, leading to the latest judgment on probation. Under the conditions set by the court, she is required to maintain good behavior and avoid any further legal infringements during the probation period.
