Defamation case: Delhi court says Medha Patkar will be on probation for one year

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court granted one-year probation to Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar in a defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, reducing her earlier five-month sentence.
The court also lowered the fine from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 lakh, considering her age of 70 years, the gravity of the offense, and her clean criminal record.

The case stems from a press release issued by Patkar in November 2000, when Saxena was president of the National Council of Civil Liberties. The court upheld the previous conviction but modified the sentence on Tuesday.
Probation allows convicted offenders to avoid imprisonment by being released on a bond of good behavior, serving as a non-institutional treatment method.
The magistrate court had earlier found Patkar's statements defamatory, where she called Saxena a "coward" and alleged his involvement in hawala transactions.
"The statements were not only defamatory per se but also crafted to incite negative perceptions about him," the magisterial court had observed. The court also noted that accusing the complainant of "mortgaging" Gujarat's people and resources to foreign interests was a direct attack on his integrity and public service.
The case proceedings included completion of sentencing arguments on May 30, followed by a reserved judgment on June 7.
The original sentence of five months simple imprisonment was pronounced on July 1, prompting Patkar to file an appeal in the sessions court.
Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh heard the appeal and granted probation, requiring Patkar to furnish a bond of good conduct.