New Delhi – Social activist Medha Patkar has been granted bail by the Saket Court after being arrested in a defamation case filed by former Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena. She was taken into custody by the Delhi Police in connection with the case.
The court had previously ruled on the case last year, ordering Patkar to pay a fine of ₹1 lakh and furnish a bond of ₹25,000. However, she failed to comply with the court’s orders, prompting the issuance of an arrest warrant.
V.K. Saxena had filed the defamation suit in 2001, alleging that Patkar had made defamatory remarks against him on a TV channel and published derogatory content in a newspaper. The court found Patkar guilty of calling Saxena a coward and accusing him of involvement in hawala transactions—statements that were deemed defamatory and misleading.
Initially, the court had sentenced her to five months’ imprisonment and ordered her to pay ₹10 lakh in damages. However, considering her age and good conduct, the court reduced the punishment and asked her to pay only ₹1 lakh. Her refusal to comply was seen by the court as a deliberate disregard for its judgment, leading to her arrest.
