Delhi Court Grants Probation to Medha Patkar in Defamation Case

Medha Patkar received one-year probation instead of imprisonment for a defamation case filed by Delhi LG V K Saxena. Considering her age and the gravity of the offence, the court reduced her fine to one lakh rupees. The case involved allegations against Saxena correlating to derogatory terms and hawala involvement.

Medha Patkar, leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, has been granted one-year probation by a Delhi court in a defamation case brought against her by Delhi LG V K Saxena. The court's decision comes after an appeal by Patkar, challenging her prior conviction and five-month sentence, relating to a case initiated in 2000.

Taking into account Patkar's age, the severity of the offence, and her previous unblemished record, Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh deemed probation appropriate, while simultaneously reducing her financial penalty from Rs 10 lakh to Rs one lakh. Probation serves as a non-institutional corrective measure, substituting incarceration for a supervised conduct bond.

The defamation charges stem from a press release by Patkar that labelled Saxena a 'coward' and accused him of involvement in hawala transactions, impacting his public image. This decision follows a magisterial court's previous judgment affirming Patkar's statements as defamatory and damaging to Saxena's reputation.

(With inputs from agencies.)