Decade-Long Defamation Duel: Medha Patkar vs. V K Saxena

The Delhi High Court has instructed a trial court to defer a defamation case involving activist Medha Patkar and Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena until after May 20. The case, originating in 2000, pertains to an allegedly defamatory advert published by Saxena against Patkar's Narmada Bachao Andolan. Recent proceedings involve debates on examining new witnesses.

The Delhi High Court ruled on Wednesday that a defamation case involving noted activist Medha Patkar and Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena be scheduled for a date after May 20. This follows Patkar's legal battle, initiated in 2000, when she accused Saxena of releasing a defamatory advertisement against her movement.

Justice Shalinder Kaur advised the trial court to wait until after May 20, coinciding with when the high court will consider Patkar's request to examine a new witness. The high court issued this directive as Patkar seeks a stay on current trial proceedings, responding to a past dismissal of her request to include new testimony.

The high-profile case, prolonging since 2000, has seen Saxena, then an NGO head, and Patkar, the Narmada Bachao Andolan leader, embroiled in a series of legal exchanges. Saxena also lodged counter-cases against Patkar, reflecting a persistent legal tussle that both parties have navigated for over two decades.

(With inputs from agencies.)