Latest news with #Patkar
New Indian Express
12 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Delhi HC upholds conviction of Patkar in two-decade-old defamation case
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of social activist Medha Patkar in a defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena over two decades ago. Justice Shalinder Kaur ruled that there was no error in the trial court and appellate court decisions that found Patkar guilty. The court also agreed with the earlier decision to release Patkar on probation rather than jail her. However, the High Court gave her some relief by modifying the probation condition that required her to appear before the trial court every three months. Now, she can either appear virtually or be represented by a lawyer. The case dates back to the year 2000, when Saxena, then President of an organisation called National Council of Civil Liberties, had published an advertisement criticising Patkar's Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), a movement against dam construction on river Narmada. In response, Patkar issued a press note alleging that Saxena had earlier supported the NBA and had even donated Rs 40,000 through a cheque from the Lalbhai Group, which later bounced. The press note also questioned Saxena's patriotism and claimed he was acting as an agent for the Gujarat government. Saxena filed a defamation case against Patkar in Ahmedabad in 2001. The Supreme Court later transferred the case to Delhi in 2003. In 2024, Patkar was found guilty by a magistrate court, sentenced to five months in jail, and asked to pay Rs 10 lakh in compensation. The court said her statements were made with clear intention to harm Saxena's reputation. On April 2, 2024, a Sessions Court upheld her conviction but reduced the punishment. Patkar was released on probation for one year and asked to pay Rs 1 lakh in compensation instead of Rs 10 lakh. She challenged the conviction in the High Court, which has now upheld it. What led to the Saxena- Patkar spat After Vinai Saxena published an ad criticizing Patkar's NBA, she issued a press note alleging that Saxena had earlier supported the NBA and had even donated Rs 40,000 through a cheque from the Lalbhai Group, which later bounced. The press note also questioned Saxena's patriotism, which led to the defamation case filed by Saxena.
Scroll.in
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
Delhi HC upholds conviction of activist Medha Patkar in defamation case filed by Delhi LG VK Saxena
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction of activist Medha Patkar in a 24-year-old defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, Live Law reported. Justice Shalinder Kaur said that there was no illegality in the decisions taken by the trial court and the appellate court to convict the Narmada Bachao Andolan leader in the case, adding that the orders were passed after consideration of evidence and law. The High Court was hearing a petition filed by Patkar against the trial court's April verdict dismissing her appeal against her conviction in the case. She had also challenged the order directing her to appear in person before the trial court to make submissions on the sentencing. Patkar failed to demonstrate any defects in the procedure that was followed or any error in the law that resulted in the alleged miscarriage of justice, Kaur said on Tuesday. The bench further upheld the decision taken by the appellate court to release Patkar on probation, Bar and Bench reported. However, the High Court modified the probation condition requiring her to appear before the trial court every three months. The activist can now appear online or be represented by an advocate. 'All the other conditions do not require any interference by this court,' Kaur said. The bench also dismissed another petition filed by the activist against the dismissal of her application to introduce and examine an additional witness in the defamation case, Live Law reported. The case was filed in 2001, when Saxena was heading the Ahmedabad-based non-governmental organisation National Council for Civil Liberties. Saxena alleged that Patkar had defamed him in a press note titled 'True face of patriot', which the activist had issued on November 25, 2000. The case, filed in an Ahmedabad court, was transferred to the chief metropolitan magistrate's court in Delhi in 2003. Patkar pleaded not guilty to the charges in 2013. In May 2024, Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharma convicted Patkar in the case. She was found guilty of criminal defamation and held liable to serve two years' jail time, pay a fine, or both. On April 2, Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh upheld the verdict convicting Patkar. On April 8, Singh granted Patkar one year's probation in the case, noting that the offence she had committed was not grave enough to warrant imprisonment. However, Patkar had been expected to appear before the court on April 23, furnish probation bonds and deposit a fine of Rs 1 lakh. As the activist did not appear in court or comply with other orders, Singh said that Patkar was deliberately violating the directions and issued a non-bailable warrant. On April 25, Patkar was arrested but released hours later from custody. Her release came after her counsel told the court that the probation order was still valid and that the activist would furnish the probation bonds. The activist had moved the High Court against her conviction. The May 2024 judgement had said that Patkar's press note was a direct attack on Saxena's personal character and loyalty to the nation. The court also observed that Patkar had accused Saxena of 'mortgaging the people of Gujarat and their resources to foreign interests' and held the allegation to be a 'direct attack' on his integrity and public service. 'Such allegations are particularly grave in the public sphere, where patriotism is highly valued, and questioning someone's courage and national loyalty can cause irreversible damage to their public image and social standing,' the court had said.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
HC upholds conviction of Patkar in 2000 case
New Delhi: Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and punishment awarded to activist Medha Patkar in a defamation case filed by Delhi LG VK Saxena in 2000. Justice Shalinder Kaur said the trial court order, against which Patkar approached the high court, did not require any interference as the challenge was "more in the nature of hair-splitting and hinged on technicalities. " HC pointed out that in the appeal, Patkar did not even refer to the text and context of the defamatory press note that had triggered the defamation suit as it alleged Saxena was "mortgaging" the people of Gujarat and their resources to foreign interests, prompting the trial court to declare it a direct attack on his integrity and public service. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi "The record suggests that the essential ingredients of Section 499 of the IPC are clearly made out. The imputations made were specific, published in the public domain, and caused harm to the reputation of the respondent," HC noted in its order, saying it found no illegality in the conclusions reached by the trial court. Saxena, through advocates Gajender Kumar, Kiran Jai and Chandra Shekhar, backed the trial court's decision, arguing that Patkar failed to demonstrate any defects in the procedure followed or any error in law. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas Prices In Dubai Might Be More Affordable Than You Think Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo They contended there was no illegality or material irregularity in the findings of the trial court and added that the order of conviction was passed after due consideration of evidence and the applicable law. Saxena filed the case 23 years ago when he was heading an NGO in Gujarat. HC also upheld the order on the sentence, where Patkar was released on "probation of good conduct," and said it did not require any interference but modified the condition of probation imposed by the trial court, requiring Patkar to appear before the trial court once every three months. HC allowed her to either appear physically or through video conferencing or be represented through a lawyer during the appearances. By way of a separate order, Justice Kaur also dismissed Patkar's plea seeking to introduce and examine an additional witness to prove her defamation case lodged against Saxena. The Narmada Bachao Andolan functionary, represented by senior advocate Sanjay Parikh, challenged the April 2 sessions court order upholding her conviction handed out by a magisterial court in the case.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Delhi HC upholds Medha Patkar's conviction in defamation case by L-G
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and punishment awarded to activist Medha Patkar in a defamation case filed by Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena in 2000, when he was heading an NGO in Gujarat. Justice Shalinder Kaur said the trial court order challenged by Ms. Patkar in the High Court did not require any interference. 'This court finds no illegality, perversity, or material irregularity in the findings recorded by the learned trial/appellate court,' said Justice Kaur. The court said that Ms. Patkar failed to demonstrate any defects in the procedure or any error in the law which resulted in the miscarriage of justice. The judge also upheld the order on sentence, where Ms. Patkar, 70, was released on 'probation of good conduct', and said it did not require any interference. Probation is a method of non-institutional treatment of offenders and a conditional suspension of sentence in which the offender, after conviction, is released on bond of good behaviour instead of being sent to prison. As the president of the NGO – National Council of Civil Liberties – Mr. Saxena filed the case against Ms. Patkar for her defamatory press release against him issued on November 24, 2000. On May 24, 2024, the magisterial court held that Ms. Patkar's statements calling Mr. Saxena a 'coward' and alleging his involvement in 'hawala transactions' were not only defamatory per se but also 'crafted to incite negative perceptions' about him. Later on July 1, 2024, the court sentenced her to five months of simple imprisonment and slapped a Rs 10 lakh fine. In April this year, an additional sessions judge had dismissed a challenge to the order and held Ms. Patkar was 'rightly convicted' and there was 'no substance' in the appeal against the verdict of her conviction in the defamation case. The sessions judge, however, modified the punishment and released Ms. Patkar on probation.
News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Delhi HC upholds Medha Patkars conviction in defamation case by LG Saxena
New Delhi, Jul 29 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday upheld the conviction and punishment awarded to activist Medha Patkar in a defamation case filed by Delhi LG V K Saxena in 2000. Justice Shalinder Kaur said the trial court order, against which Patkar had approached the high court, did not require any interference. 'Upon perusal this court finds no illegality in the order (by trial court) and requires no interference, and (appeal) accordingly dismissed," Justice Kaur said. Saxena filed the case 23 years ago when he was heading an NGO in Gujarat. The high court said there was illegality or material irregularity in the findings of the trial court and added that the order of conviction was passed after due consideration of evidence and the applicable law. It said that Patkar failed to demonstrate any defects in the procedure which was followed or any error in the law which resulted in the miscarriage of justice. The judge also upheld the order on sentence, where Patkar was released on 'probation of good conduct", and said it did not require any interference. Probation is a method of non-institutional treatment of offenders and a conditional suspension of sentence in which the offender, after conviction, is released on bond of good behaviour instead of being sent to prison. The high court, however, modified the condition of probation imposed by the trial court, requiring Patkar to appear before the trial court once in every three months, and allowed her to either appear physically or through VC or be represented through the lawyer during the appearances. The court also dismissed Patkar's plea against dismissal of her application to introduce and examine an additional witness to prove her defamation case lodged against Saxena. While 70-year-old Patkar was represented by senior advocate Sanjay Parikh, advocate Gajinder Kumar argued on behalf of Saxena. The Narmada Bachao Andolan leader challenged the April 2 sessions court order upholding her conviction handed out by a magisterial court in the case. The sessions court, which upheld Patkar's conviction in the case, released her on 'probation of good conduct"on furnishing a probation bond of Rs 25,000 on April 8 and imposed a precondition on her of depositing Rs 1 lakh as fine. The magisterial court on July 1, 2024 sentenced Patkar to five months of simple imprisonment and slapped a Rs 10 lakh fine after finding her guilty under Section 500 (defamation) of the IPC. Saxena filed the case as president of the National Council of Civil Liberties against Patkar for her defamatory press release against Saxena issued on November 24, 2000. On May 24, 2024, the magisterial court held that that Patkar's statements were not only per se defamatory but also 'crafted to incite negative perceptions" about him. The accusation that the complainant was 'mortgaging" the people of Gujarat and their resources to foreign interests was a direct attack on his integrity and public service, it had said. On April 2, the sessions court had dismissed a challenge to the order and held Patkar was 'rightly convicted" and there was 'no substance" in the appeal against the verdict of her conviction in the defamation case. PTI UK ZMN view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
