Tejas Navale

Pune: The social activist and founder of Narmada Bachao Aandolan, Medha Patkar, was sentenced to five months imprisonment by the Saket Court of Delhi. In the 24-year-old case, the court found Medha Patkar guilty and ordered her to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Delhi's lieutenant governor, V.K. Saxena.

The case is 24-year-old. When V.K. Saxena was the president of the Ahmedabad-based NGO, the Nation Council for Civil Liberties, he published an advertisement against Medha Patkar and their Narmada Bachao Aandolan. That organisation was in favour of the construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam. After that, Medha Patkar filed a petition against Saxena.

At that time, Medha Patkar made various remarks against Saxena, calling him unpatriotic and a deserter. After that, Saxena filed a defamation case against Patkar. The Saket Court of Delhi gave a verdict in this regard on May 24, and the court found Medha Patkar guilty of defamation.

While announcing the judgement, the court observed that, despite having a clear idea about the defamation, Medha Patkar deliberately made allegations against Saxena to defame him. She further accused him of being involved in the Hawala transfer, which is a serious allegation against Saxena's integrity. These allegations of Patkar are insulting to the plaintiff, and the court further observed that Medha Patkar purposefully did it to create a negative opinion in the public about the complainant.

Medha Patkar has committed an offence punishable under Section 500 of the IPC. The court observed that all the allegations made by Medha Patkar were only to defame the complainant. The court also said that due to the allegations of Medha Patkar, Saxena's reputation and credibility in the eyes of the public have really been seriously damaged. The court has found Medha Patkar guilty in this case. Further, she has now been sentenced to five months' imprisonment, and a fine of Rs 10 lakh has also been imposed as compensation.