Medha Patkar withdraws plea in HC challenging her conviction in defamation case by Delhi L-G

NEW DELHI: Social activist Medha Patkar on Friday withdrew her petition before the Delhi High Court challenging her conviction for criminal defamation of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

Patkar had approached the High Court seeking to contest the findings of the trial court and the sessions court, both of which had held her guilty of defamation. However, during the brief proceedings, her counsel sought permission to withdraw the plea, stating an intention to file a fresh petition.

Granting the request, Justice Shalinder Kaur allowed the withdrawal with liberty to approach the court afresh.

“This is an application seeking withdrawal. Counsel for the petitioner seeks to withdraw with liberty to file afresh. The petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed,” the court recorded in its order.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Police arrested Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Patkar after a non-bailable warrant was issued against her by a local court in connection with a 24-year-old defamation case filed by Saxena.

The case, dating back to 2000, arose from a press release Patkar issued on November 24, 2000, when Saxena led the National Council of Civil Liberties.

In it, she reportedly labelled him a "coward", accused him of being involved in hawala transactions, and alleged that he was “mortgaging” the people and resources of Gujarat to foreign interests. A magisterial court last year ruled that these statements were defamatory and intended to provoke negative public sentiment.

Following arguments on sentencing, which concluded on May 30, 2024, the court reserved its judgment on June 7. On July 1, Patkar was sentenced to five months' simple imprisonment. However, she later secured probation of good conduct, with a condition to deposit a fine of Rs 1 lakh. The sessions court, under Judge Vishal Singh of Saket Court, granted this leniency on April 8, 2025.

Despite this concession, Patkar failed to appear in court on April 23 for the formal 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 Commissioner of Delhi Police.

"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," read the court order.

Judge Singh further noted that the Court is left with no option than to enforce the production of convict Medha Patkar through coercive order. " Issue NBWs against convict Medha Patkar, through office of Commissioner of Police, Delhi Police, for next date," read the order.