V K Saxena Acquitted in 25-Year-Old Defamation Case

A court acquitted Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in a defamation case filed by activist Medha Patkar, citing insufficient evidence. The legal battle, initiated in 2000, involved allegations related to the 'Narmada Bachao Andolan'. Saxena had also filed defamation charges against Patkar in 2001.

In a significant legal verdict, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena was acquitted by a court in a defamation case that has spanned 25 years. The case, initiated by activist Medha Patkar, was dismissed as the court found the evidence insufficient to support the charges against Saxena.

The ruling was delivered by Judicial Magistrate First Class Raghav Sharma, who noted that Patkar's attempt to examine additional witnesses in March 2025 seemed more like a strategy to delay proceedings rather than a necessity. This decision marks the end of a legal battle that started in 2000.

The initial lawsuit was filed after Saxena published advertisements against Patkar and her movement, 'Narmada Bachao Andolan'. Saxena, then the head of 'Council for Civil Liberties', had also lodged defamation suits against Patkar in 2001 over derogatory remarks she made on television and in a press statement.

(With inputs from agencies.)