The Supreme Court on Monday confirmed the conviction of activist Medha Patkar in a criminal defamation case filed against her by Delhi LG Vinai Kumar Saxena.
The top court, however, set aside penalty of Rs 1 lakh imposed on Patkar in the case.
"However, taking into consideration the submission of the counsel for the petitioner the penalty imposed stands set aside and we further clarify that the supervision order will not be given effect," PTI quoted the top court as saying.
A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh said it wasn’t interfering in Delhi High Court’s ruling on the matter, where Patkar was released on "probation of good conduct" but she would have to appear before the trial court once every three years. Probation serves as a non-custodial approach to offenders, allowing for the conditional suspension of a sentence. Instead of imprisonment, the convicted individual is released under a bond guaranteeing good conduct.
HC upheld conviction
The high court on July 29 upheld the conviction and punishment awarded to 70-year-old Patkar, asserting that the order was passed after due consideration of evidence and the applicable law.
In this case, while the trial court had imposed specific probation terms, the High Court revised them. It eased the requirement for Patkar to appear before the trial court every three months by permitting her to do so either in person, via videoconferencing or through legal representation.
About the case
The case stems from a press note issued by Patkar on November 25, 2000, titled "True Face of Patriot." In the note, she accused Saxena of being involved in hawala dealings, claimed he had given the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) a cheque for Rs 40,000 that later bounced due to a non-existent account. She also called him a coward and unpatriotic.
In April 2025, a trial court found Patkar guilty for criminal defamation. The court ruled that her statements were intentional, malicious and aimed at damaging Saxena’s reputation. It held the remarks to be inherently defamatory and likely to provoke negative public opinion against him.
Saxena filed the case 25 years ago when he was heading an NGO in Gujarat.
