Legal

Delhi HC Seeks Response On Medha Patkar’s Plea In Defamation Case

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Lieutenant Governor’s Office in response to a petition filed by Medha Patkar in the criminal defamation case.

The court has asked for a reply within four weeks. Justice Shailendra Kaur’s bench will hear the petition in May.

Patkar approached the High Court after the Saket Court refused to allow her to present a new witness. She has sought permission to submit additional witnesses in her defense.

The Saket Court had earlier rejected her request, stating that the demand was an attempt to delay the hearing.

The Saket Court sentenced Patkar to five months’ imprisonment in May 2024.

However, the Sessions Court later suspended the sentence.

The first-class judicial magistrate ruled that Patkar’s plea lacked merit as the case has been pending for 24 years, and all witnesses’ statements have already been recorded.

The court noted that Patkar had made a similar request on August 18, 2023, but failed to present the witness.

The magistrate questioned why she had not mentioned this witness in the past 24 years. The court emphasized that allowing new witnesses at this stage would set a wrong precedent and cause unnecessary delays.

Saxena’s lawyer argued that the case had been postponed 94 times due to Patkar. He had filed a criminal defamation case against her 23 years ago, when he was leading an NGO in Gujarat.

On July 1, 2024, the magistrate’s court sentenced Patkar to five months of simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh.

The Sessions Court later suspended the sentence and asked Saxena to submit a reply.

Also Read: Putin To Visit India, ‘One Of The Great Powers Of Our Time’, Soon: Lavrov

Gopal Krishna

Recent Posts

AFSPA extended In Manipur, Parts Of Nagaland, Arunachal For Another 6 months

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act…

36 mins ago

‘Manthan 2025’ Conference Concludes With Insights On National Unity And Cultural Heritage

The two-day national conference ‘Manthan 2025’ concluded successfully at North Campus, Delhi University, bringing together…

2 hours ago

Nitish Kumar Admits ‘Mistakes’ Of Leaving NDA, Vows To Stay Loyal

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday publicly admitted that he made “mistakes” by leaving…

3 hours ago

Ahead Of PM Modi’s Visit, 50 Maoists Lay Down Arms In Chhattisgarh

Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the government’s goal to make India Naxal-free by next…

5 hours ago

PM Modi Hails RSS As The Modern Akshay Vat Of India’s Culture

During his visit to Nagpur, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the RSS as the modern…

5 hours ago

PM Modi Lays Foundation Stone For Eye Care Centre In Nagpur, Highlights Govt’s Healthcare Initiatives

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday emphasized the government's ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare facilities…

6 hours ago