2001 Delhi LG defamation case: Medha Patkar arrested after court issues non-bailable warrant

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Friday arrested social activist Medha Patkar in connection with a defamation case filed by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in 2001. A senior police officer confirmed the development.
A Delhi court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant against activist Medha Patkar, observing that she was deliberately flouting its sentencing order to submit probation bonds and Rs 1 lakh as a fine in a defamation case.

On Wednesday, Patkar was to appear in court, furnish the probation bonds, and deposit the fine amount. The judge observed that Patkar's plea seeking adjournment was "frivolous," "mischievous," and filed with the intent to "hoodwink" the court.
He warned Patkar that if she failed to comply with the terms of the sentencing, the court would be "constrained to reconsider the benevolent sentence and alter the order on the sentence."
On April 8, the sessions court had granted Medha Patkar "probation for good conduct" in the defamation case involving VK Saxena, who led an NGO in Gujarat in 2001.
This decision modified a July 1, 2024 order by a magisterial court, which had sentenced Patkar to five months of simple imprisonment and required her to pay a Rs 1 lakh compensation, to be given to Saxena.
However, the court was left with no choice but to take coercive action to ensure her appearance. Judge Singh issued a directive stating, "Issue non-bailable warrants against convict Medha Patkar through the office of the commissioner of police, Delhi Police, for the next hearing. Put up for report on NBWs and further proceedings on May 3."
The judge also rejected Patkar's request for an adjournment, which was based on her revision petition pending in the Delhi high court.
The court remarked, "The application has no substance; there is no direction in the order dated April 22 of Delhi High Court that the convict Medha Patkar is not required to comply with the order on sentence dated April 8. The present application is frivolous, mischievous, and is only calculated to hoodwink the court."
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