Latest news with #SardarSarovarProject
India Today
25-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Activist Medha Patkar arrested in 24-year-old VK Saxena defamation case
Within 48 hours of a non-bailable warrant being issued by the Saket District Court, Delhi Police on Friday arrested Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activist Medha Patkar in a 24-year-old defamation case filed by the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V K Thursday, the Delhi court issued a non-bailable warrant against Patkar for failing to pay the fine imposed on her in the contempt of court case linked to Saxena and for disobeying the court's order to appear before Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vishal Singh had ordered Medha Patkar to appear before the court on May 3, to review the report on the non-bailable warrant and any further action. The case pertains to Patkar's remarks on Saxena back in 2000, when she had allegedly called him a "coward" and alleged that he was involved in hawala current L-G of Delhi was then heading an NGO in Gujarat. While Saxena's NGO had openly supported the Gujarat government's Sardar Sarovar Project, the NBA was leading a movement against Patkar, in a press release dated November 25, 2000, alleged that Saxena was secretly supporting NBA's protests against the Gujarat government project. She further claimed the Saxena had forwarded a check to NBA, which year in May, a magistrate court observed that Patkar's remarks were defamatory in nature and convicted the activist, sentencing her to three months in jail. The court further ordered her to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation to the complainant, VK note of her old age and worsening health, ASJ Singh suspended the sentence and granted her bail on July 29, 2024. However, the order to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation and submit a probation bond remained in Vishal Singh had granted one-year probation to Patkar in connection with the case on April Wednesday, Patkar filed an application, requesting the proceedings against her to be paused, citing a pending appeal before the High Patkar's prayer, the Delhi court said there was no such directive given by the High Court in its April 22 order and was still required to comply with the April 8 order of the sessions court. The Delhi court further noted that it was a deliberate attempt by Patkar to deceive the of appearing before court and complying with the April 8 order, Patkar remained absent from the proceedings while refusing to submit the amount.
Hindustan Times
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Hours after arrest, Medha Patkar withdraws HC plea against defamation conviction
New Delhi: Social activist Medha Patkar on Friday withdrew her petition in the Delhi High Court challenging a city court's order that upheld her conviction in a 2001 criminal defamation case filed by Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena. The development came just hours after she was arrested by the Delhi Police, following a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by the city court for failing to comply with the conditions required for release on probation. The case stems from a press release issued by the Narmada Bachao Andolan leader on November 24, 2000, in which she alleged that Saxena, who was the president of non-profit organisation National Council of Civil Liberties at the time, had given a cheque to NBA, which subsequently bounced. Saxena, who was actively involved in ensuring the timely completion of the Sardar Sarovar Project, filed the defamation case on January 18, 2001, alleging that Patkar's press release contained false accusations intended to harm his reputation. On May 24, 2024, metropolitan magistrate Raghav Sharma convicted Patkar concluding that her actions were deliberate, malicious and aimed at tarnishing Saxena's reputation. On July 1, 2024, judge Sharma sentenced Patkar to undergo five months imprisonment along with ₹10 lakh as fine. Also read: Activist Medha Patkar arrested in defamation case filed by Delhi L-G On April 2, sessions judge Vishal Singh had upheld metropolitan magistrate Raghav Sharma's May 2024 order convicting Patkar in the defamation case. On April 8, Singh had granted Patkar probation directing her to deposit ₹1 lakh as compensation and furnish a personal bond of ₹25,000 by April 23. However on Wednesday, judge Singh issued the NWB, upon her failure to fulfil the conditions, noting that Patkar instead of appearing in court for compliance of the order on sentence, was absent and deliberately failed to comply with the same. A high court bench of justice Shailender Kaur dismissed Patkar's petition as withdrawn, after the social activist's counsel submitted that his client would file the same afresh by also challenging the order on sentence. 'The counsel for the petitioner submits that he seeks to withdraw the criminal revision petition with liberty to file afresh. In view of the submissions made, the petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed as per law,' the order read.
Hindustan Times
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Delhi court issues non-bailable warrant against Medha Patkar
New Delhi A Delhi court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant against social activist Medha Patkar upon her failure to fulfil the conditions — deposit a bond of ₹25,000 and compensation of ₹1 lakh — of her release on probation after being convicted in a defamation case filed by Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena. She was sentenced to five months of imprisonment in May 2024 and penalised. Additional sessions judge Vishal Singh of the Saket district court passed the order and rejected an application by Patkar seeking postponement of the execution of the order issued on April 8, which directed that the conditions be fulfilled by April 23. Terming Patkar's application 'mischievous and frivolous' and calculated to 'hoodwink' the court, judge Singh said that instead of appearing in court to comply with the order on sentence, the convict was absent and deliberately failed to comply with the order. Issuing the warrant through the Delhi police commissioner, the court said that if Patkar failed to comply with its previous order by the next date of hearing, it would be constrained to reconsider the benevolent sentence and alter its order on sentence. Patkar's lawyers, Abhimanyu Shreshtha and Sridevi Panniker, submitted in the application that Patkar was not in the city for two weeks and sought a postponement till her return. The bench declined to entertain the application and posted the matter for further consideration on May 3. The development comes a day after Patkar made a similar request in the Delhi high court, but it directed her to approach the trial court to seek postponement and indicated that a failure to execute the trial court's order would have repercussions. The application was opposed by advocates Gajinder Kumar and Kiran Jai appearing for the LG. On April 8, judge Singh released Patkar on probation with the said conditions after observing that the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader was a person of repute with no history of conviction. She applied for probation after being sentenced in May 2024 in the defamation case to undergo five months of imprisonment with a fine. The case against Patkar stems from a press release issued by her on November 24, 2000, which alleged that Saxena, who was the president of the non-profit organisation National Council of Civil Liberties at the time, had given a cheque to NBA, which subsequently bounced. Saxena, who was actively involved in ensuring the timely completion of the Sardar Sarovar Project, filed the defamation case on January 18, 2001, alleging that Patkar's press release contained false accusations intended to harm his reputation. On May 24, 2024, metropolitan magistrate Raghav Sharma convicted Patkar, concluding that her actions were deliberate, malicious and aimed at tarnishing Saxena's reputation. On April 2, judge Singh upheld the order by the magistrate and passed the order on probation on April 8.
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Defamation case: Delhi court issues non-bailable warrant against social activist Medha Patkar
A Delhi court on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against social activist Medha Patkar for not furnishing probation bonds in a 24-year-old defamation case lodged against her by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena. On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court had refused Patkar's plea to stay for two weeks the proceedings for execution of a probation bond linked to the case and had asked her to approach the trial court. On April 8, the court of Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh had granted the activist a one-year probation in the case, noting that the leader of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) had received multiple awards for her work and that the offence committed by her was not grave enough to warrant imprisonment. Also read | The defamation case stems from a press release issued by Patkar on November 25, 2000, titled 'True Face of Patriot'. Earlier, the court had dismissed Patkar's appeal against her conviction in the defamation case filed in 2000, where she had allegedly called Saxena, who headed an NGO in Gujarat at the time, a 'coward' and alleged his involvement in hawala transactions. On May 24, 2024, a magistrate court had held Patkar's statements defamatory and sentenced her to a five-month jail term on July 1. However, additional sessions judge Singh had suspended Patkar's sentence and granted her bail on July 29 last year. The defamation case stems from a press release issued by Patkar on November 25, 2000, titled 'True Face of Patriot'. While Saxena's organisation had actively supported the Sardar Sarovar Project of the Gujarat government, the NBA, headed by Patkar, was leading a mass movement in opposition to the project. In the press release, Patkar had alleged that Saxena, who was then the president of the non-profit National Council of Civil Liberties, was supporting the NBA in secrecy. She alleged that he had given a cheque to the NBA and it had subsequently bounced.
