The Saket Sessions Court in Delhi has provided relief to Medha Patkar, leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, convicted in a criminal defamation case by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh placed Patkar on one year of probation, replacing a three-month prison sentence from the Magistrate Court, contingent on good conduct.
The penalty imposed was also reduced from ten lakh to one lakh rupees. The court acknowledged Patkar’s age (70) and her lack of previous convictions, making her eligible for leniency.
On April 2, the court had dismissed a petition contesting her original sentence. Previously, on July 27, 2024, the Sessions Court issued a notice to VK Saxena, temporarily halting the Judicial Magistrate’s decision.
Patkar had appealed against her five-month imprisonment and ten lakh rupee fine imposed by the Judicial Magistrate on July 1, 2024, citing her health. The Magistrate Court had ruled that despite the maximum penalty being two years, her sentence was mitigated due to her condition, asserting she had made false allegations against Saxena.
