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Delhi High Court Upholds Medha Patkar’s Defamation Conviction, Eases Probation Requirements

Justice Shalinder Kaur found no procedural errors, refused Patkar’s bid to summon new witnesses, approved her option for virtual or representative probation appearances.

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Justice Shalinder Kaur, in her 44-page ruling, upheld the sessions court order, observing that the same was passed after due consideration of evidence and law. (Representative photo)
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Medha Patkar at a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi in 2023 | Photo: ANI

Overview

  • Nearly 24 years after Saxena filed the suit in 2001 and its transfer to Delhi in 2003, the High Court delivered the final appellate decision on July 29.
  • The defamation case originated from Patkar’s 2000 press note calling Saxena a “coward” and alleging a bounced ₹40,000 cheque, prompting criminal defamation charges.
  • A May 2024 magistrate sentenced Patkar to five months in jail and a ₹10 lakh fine, a penalty the sessions court later converted into one-year probation and a ₹1 lakh compensation order.
  • Patkar’s failure to furnish a probation bond and deposit the compensation in April triggered a non-bailable warrant and brief detention before the High Court granted her bail.
  • Observers say the ruling underscores ongoing debates over criminal defamation’s scope and its impact on activists’ speech and public officials’ reputations.