Court upholds conviction of Medha Patkar in Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena defamation case

Delhi court upheld the metropolitan magistrate’s order of convicting 69-year-old social activist Medha Patkar in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

However, additional sessions judge Vishal Singh of Saket Court deferred pronouncing an order on the sentence due to the absence of Patkar’s physical presence in court.

The judge, however, clarified that the sentence could not be enhanced since the Delhi police had not preferred a plea. It could only be maintained or reduced.

The court is to hear the matter at 2 pm, on the arguments of the necessity of Patkar’s physical presence for pronouncing the order in the sentence.

“The appeal has been dismissed, the conviction stands but for sentencing, the appellant has to appear in person. In order to receive sentence, the convict must be present in court. What is impugned is the judgement of conviction and sentencing. Since the state has not come for enhancement, there is no question for enhancement but at the most it can be maintained or reduced,” judge Singh said.

What is the case about?

The case is regarding a press release shared by Patkar in November 2000. In May 2024, the court observed that calling Saxena—then the president of an NGO in Gujarat—a "coward" and alleging his involvement in hawala transactions.

Patkar was granted a five-month jail term for a 23-year-old defamation case in July, 2024. The court also directed her to pay ₹10 lakhs as compensation to LG for damaging his reputation. However, this order was suspended later.

The court also said that Patkar's age and ailments do not absolve her of the "serious" offence as Saxena experienced “profound damage to his reputation, trustworthiness, and social standing.”

Who is Medha Patkar?

Medha Patkar is a social activist popularly known for her participation in Narmada Bachao Andolan, a movement against the construction of large dams on the Narmada River, which was expected to displace thousands of people without adequate rehabilitation, according to activists.