Medha Patkar Sentenced To Five Months Imprisonment In Defamation Case (image:x.com/medhanarmada)

A Delhi court on Monday sentenced renowned social activist Medha Patkar to five months of simple imprisonment in a criminal defamation case. The case was filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena who was then the chief of Ahmedabad-based NGO ‘Council for Civil Liberties’.

Besides, the court ordered Medha Patkar to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to Saxena.

However, Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharm suspended her sentence under section 389(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure till August 1 to allow her to appeal against the order.

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Responding to the court’s decision, Patkar said: “The truth can never be defeated…We have not tried to defame anyone, we only do our work…We will challenge the court’s judgement.”

Medha Patkar has proceeded with the bail application in the court and jail sentence will stay suspended for a period of 30 days until the plea is being heard.

Medha Patkar and VK Saxena have been locked in a legal battle since 2000 after she filed a suit against him for publishing advertisements against her and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA). He had also filed two suits against her for making derogatory remarks about him on a TV channel and issuing a defamatory statement.

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On May 24, the Delhi court convicted Patkar by observing, “It has been proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused (Medha Patkar) published the imputations with the intent and knowledge that they would harm the reputation of the complainant and, therefore, committed an offence punishable under Section 500 of the IPC (Indian Penal Code). She is hereby convicted of the same,” the Hindustan Times reports as the Court is saying.

Further proceedings on the matter will be taken into consideration on June 7.