Delhi Court Orders Medha Patkar's Release After Arrest In Defamation Case
New Delhi:
Offering relief to activist Medha Patkar, a Delhi court on Friday ordered her release on furnishing a Probation Bond and payment of Rs one lakh compensation in a defamation case filed in 2001 by Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena. The order came within hours of her arrest at a city railway station.
In a related development, Medha Patkar withdrew her plea from the Delhi High Court against the orders of lower courts.
A subordinate court ordered her release within hours of being arrested on her arrival at a Delhi railway station at 6 a.m. for being presented before a judge in the Saket district court complex.
She was arrested to execute a non-bailable warrant (NDW) issued against her in the defamation case. The court had observed that she was deliberately flouting its sentencing order to submit probation bonds and Rs one lakh as fine in the defamation case.
The Delhi court had on Wednesday issued an NBW against Patkar over her non-appearance and non-compliance with the sentence order in connection with the 2001 defamation case linked to developments in Ahmedabad, where Saxena headed an organisation called National Council of Civil Liberties.
In 2001, Saxena filed two defamation suits against Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Patkar. One pertained to allegedly derogatory remarks she made during a television interview, while the other involved a press statement.
The legal tussle arose from an earlier suit filed by Patkar in 2000, accusing Saxena of publishing defamatory advertisements targeting her and the NBA.
In the High Court on Friday, Patkar's counsel sought permission to withdraw her plea against the orders of the sessions court and the trial court, with the liberty to file a fresh petition, which was allowed by Justice Shalinder Kaur.
"Counsel for the petitioner seeks to withdraw with liberty to file afresh. The petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed," Justice Kaur said.
Earlier, Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh of Saket court had observed that instead of appearing before the court to comply with the sentencing of April 8, the 70-year-old social activist had remained absent.
On April 8, Patkar was ordered to be released on probation of good conduct for a period of one year, subject to prior deposit of a compensation amount of Rs one lakh, to be released in favour of the complainant (Saxena).
The appellate court had modified the order of the trial court, which sentenced Patkar to five months of simple imprisonment, apart from ordering her to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to Saxena for the harm caused to his reputation.
Advocates Gajinder Kumar, Kiran Jai, Chandra Shekhar, Drishti and Somya Arya, represented Saxena, before the court.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Fraud PIL filed in court, GDA stalls approvals for 137 plots in Swarn Jayanti Puram scheme
Ghaziabad: Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) has barred map approvals for 137 plots in the Swarn Jayanti Puram housing scheme, which are currently under litigation in the civil court. The scheme, launched in 1998, sold 1,553 plots of various sizes, but allotment of 137 were cancelled when owners defaulted on instalments. It was alleged that a few GDA officials, in connivance with property dealers, got the allotments of these plots restored between 2005 and 2007 after paying a paltry sum to the original allottees. The officials then got the plots transferred in their names. The irregularities came to light in 2011 when a petition was filed in the high court, alleging that officials had indulged in fraudulent means to restore cancelled plots in the area. The court had directed Moradabad range commissioner to investigate the matter. The inquiry had found some officials, including former secretary and vice chairperson of GDA, were involved in the scam, and FIRs were registered against them in Dec 2017. However, action against officials found involved in the irregularities has been slow. In Oct 2022, Allahabad high court had reprimanded the GDA, saying it "slept over these files without taking any action". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 경기도 거주자 전용: 무료 영웅 캐릭터를 받으세요! 레이드 섀도우 레전드 Undo Sources said the Authority recently received map approval applications for some of these 137 plots. Subsequently, GDA additional secretary wrote to the town planning department asking it to bar map approvals of any of these 137 plots."There were attempts to get the map approval of 137 plots in the Swarn Jyanti Puram housing scheme, even though there is an ongoing case in the Ghaziabad civil court over plot allotment. The additional secretary has directed the town planner to cancel map approvals for these plots, if any have been cleared already," a GDA official told TOI. The fraud is estimated to have cost the state exchequer a loss of about Rs 3 crore and an additional Rs 30 lakh in stamp duty. TOI earlier reported that the 137 plots were allegedly restored at the sector rate of 1998 — when it ranged between Rs 2,575 per sqm and Rs 2,820 per sqm. But according to the rules, the plots ought to have been restored at the prevailing sector rate of 2005-2007 or 75% of the market value, whichever was higher. The sector rate then was Rs 12,000 per sqm.
Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
Dip in infiltration from B'desh in last six months: Saha
1 2 3 Agartala: Tripura chief minister Manik Saha on Tuesday claimed there is a slight decrease in illegal immigration from Bangladesh during the past six months due to enhanced border monitoring and targeted operations in vulnerable areas previously used by illegal Bangladeshi nationals as transit points to other Indian states. During a media briefing celebrating the 11th year of Narendra Modi's govt, he dismissed claims of increased infiltration from Bangladesh, crediting the improved situation to effective security measures. Saha highlighted concerns about certain sections of the India-Bangladesh border where fencing infrastructure is inadequate or non-existent. He confirmed that these issues have been brought to the attention of the Union home ministry and security agencies. The chief minister acknowledged increased arrests of illegal immigrants during recent operations. This statement gains importance considering BJP's alliance partner TIPRA Motha's call for comprehensive action to identify and remove undocumented Bangladeshi nationals from Tripura. TIPRA Motha has initiated grassroots efforts in rural areas, directing supporters to document illegal Bangladeshi residents who obtained fraudulent Indian papers through local authorities. The party advocates for establishing detention facilities for illegal immigrants, similar to those in Assam. Discussing Modi govt's achievements, Saha said Tripura received substantial central funding during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. He emphasised how the PM's initiatives and direct benefit transfer system enhanced governance transparency by eliminating intermediaries. He reported that Tripura farmers received Rs 843 crore through PM-KISAN, Rs 10 crore via PM Fasal Bima Yojana, and Rs 2,272 crore in low-interest loans through Kisan Credit Card scheme. Under Har Ghar Jal Yojana, household tap water access increased from 3% to 86%. Regarding healthcare and welfare, Ayushman Bharat settled claims worth Rs 239 crore, leading Tripura to develop its own health programme. Additionally, 8,200 small businesses received unsecured loans, while 1.46 lakh new mothers received Rs 62 crore through PM Matru Vandana Yojana. The PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana facilitated rooftop solar panel installation in 368 households.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
ED locks Rs 100 crore properties in Muda scam, total now Rs 400 crore
MYSURU: Enforcement Directorate , which is probing the alleged Mysore urban development authority site scam, has attached 92 properties in Muda-developed layouts collectively valued at Rs 100 crore. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and family were under the scanner in the alleged scam as the CM's wife, Parvathi, had been allotted 14 sites in fashionable layouts in Mysuru in a land-swap deal for three acres and 16 guntas under the 50:50 scheme. After a controversy erupted, she returned the sites to Muda. A Lokayukta probe had cleared the CM in the alleged case. Earlier, about 160 sites, worth Rs 300 crore, had been attached, taking total value of seized land to Rs 400 crore. Karnataka govt recently renamed the urban body as Mysuru Development Authority. ED has invoked Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 to attach the properties, which effectively pre-empts any transaction on these properties in prime Mysuru city locations. The attached properties are registered in the names of institutions such as housing cooperative societies, or individuals. An ED press note claimed its probe revealed large-scale scam in the allotment of Muda sites by flouting govt orders and by fraudulent means. Muda officers allegedly illegally allotted sites to ineligible individuals & institutions, it said.
