NBW against Patkar for not complying with bail terms in defamation case

NEW DELHI: A city court has issued a non-bailable warrant against Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar after she failed to comply with the terms of her release in a 23-year-old defamation case filed by L-G V K Saxena.

The case, initiated by Saxena in 2000 when he led the National Council of Civil Liberties, stems from a press release issued by Patkar on November 24 that year. In it, she accused him of being involved in hawala transactions. These statements, a magisterial court ruled last year, were not only defamatory but designed to provoke negative public sentiment.

On May 24 last year, the court found her guilty of defamation. It concluded that her comments constituted a direct assault on Saxena’s personal integrity.

On July 1, Patkar was sentenced to five months’ simple imprisonment. But she later secured probation of good conduct, with a condition to deposit a fine of Rs 1 lakh. Judge Vishal Singh of Saket Court, granted this leniency on April 8, 2025.

Despite the concession, Patkar failed to appear in court on Wednesday for the furnishing of probation bonds and payment of the fine. Her absence, combined with non-compliance, led the court to issue a non-bailable warrant through the Delhi Police commissioner.

“The intention of convict Medha Patkar is apparent that she is deliberately violating the Court order; she is avoiding to appear before the Court and also avoiding to accept the terms of sentence passed against her. There is no order of suspension of sentence passed by this Court on 08/04/2025,” the court said.

Judge Singh noted that the court is left with no option than to enforce the production of Medha Patkar through coercive order. The court has now fixed May 3 as the next date of hearing in the case.