Delhi court upholds Medha Patkar’s conviction in defamation case lodged by L-G
"The challenge to conviction has been dismissed, and the conviction is sustained. Medha Patkar will appear on April 8 for the purpose of sentence," additional sessions judge Vishal Singh said. A detailed order is awaited.
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Medha Patkar will appear on April 8 for the purpose of sentence," additional sessions judge Vishal Singh said. A detailed order is awaited. (Express File Photo)
A sessions court in Delhi on Wednesday dismissed an appeal by activist Medha Patkar against her conviction in a 23-year-old defamation case lodged by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
Patkar’s statements in 2000 — calling Saxena, who headed an NGO in Gujarat at the time, a “coward” and alleging his involvement in hawala transactions – were held defamatory last year on May 24 by a magistrate court. On July 1, Patkar was sentenced to a five-month jail term and was directed to pay a Rs 10-lakh fine. However, she was granted bail for a month to contest the trial court’s decision.
“The evidence led by the respondent (Saxena) during the trial proved beyond reasonable doubt that Medha Patkar published the press note dated November 11, 2000, carrying imputations on his character with intent to harm or having reason to believe that the imputations will harm his reputation. The appellant was rightly convicted for offence U/s. 500 IPC (defamation),” said Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vishal Singh of Saket Court in his order on Wednesday.
The defamation case stems from a press release issued by Patkar on November 25, 2000, titled “True Face of Patriot”. While Saxena’s organisation had actively supported the Sardar Sarovar Project of the Gujarat government, Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), headed by Patkar, was leading a mass movement in opposition to the project.
In the press release, Patkar alleged that Saxena, who was then the president of nonprofit National Council of Civil Liberties, was supporting the NBA in secrecy. She alleged that a cheque was given to the NBA by him which had subsequently bounced.
“By creating the false impression that complainant V K. Saxena gave the cheque to NBA and by calling him a coward and not a patriot, the press note sought to discredit the complainant and to malign his reputation in the eyes of the public at large,” said ASJ Singh. “The obvious intention behind the publication of the press note was to widely disseminate it to the largest audience possible,” he added.
The court deferred the pronouncement of the sentence as Patkar was not present in court. She has been directed to appear before the Court on April 8 for the sentencing.
ASJ Singh had suspended Patkar’s sentence and granted her bail on July 29 last year in the matter.
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