SC upholds Medha Patkar's conviction in defamation case against Saxena
The Supreme Court has confirmed activist Medha Patkar's conviction in a 24-year-old defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena.
Back in 2000, Patkar accused Saxena of shady financial dealings and called him a "coward" in a press note.
While the court found her guilty under criminal defamation laws, it dropped the ₹1 lakh penalty and said she won't have to serve jail time.
Patkar was sentenced to 5 months in jail
Saxena took legal action after Patkar's comments hurt his reputation during his stint as president of the National Council for Civil Liberties.
In 2024, a trial court sentenced her to five years in jail and ordered ₹10 lakh compensation.
The Delhi High Court later let her attend hearings online or through her lawyer.
Throughout, Patkar's team tried to challenge key evidence but didn't succeed—now, the Supreme Court has granted her probation for good conduct instead of prison.