A Delhi court has sentenced prominent social activist Medha Patkar to a suspended jail term of five months and imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh in a long-standing defamation case filed by VK Saxena, the current Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Delhi and former president of the National Council of Civil Liberties.
Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma found Patkar guilty of defamation for publishing false imputations against Saxena in a press release titled “True Face of Patriot” in November 2000. The court ruled that Patkar’s actions were intended to harm Saxena’s reputation. The defamation suit, initiated by Saxena in 2001, has been a legal battle spanning over two decades.
In response to the court’s decision, Patkar expressed defiance, stating, “The truth can never be defeated. We have always upheld our principles through our work. We will challenge this judgment.”
The court, while acknowledging Patkar’s age and health condition, suspended her jail sentence until August 1 under Section 389(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, allowing her time to appeal the verdict.
VK Saxena accused Patkar of defaming him through advertisements and press releases while he served as the head of an Ahmedabad-based NGO. The court’s conviction under Section 500 of the Indian Penal Code carries a maximum penalty of up to two years of simple imprisonment, a fine, or both.
