Social activist Medha Patkar was arrested by the Delhi Police on Friday following a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against her by a Saket court in connection with a 24-year-old defamation case filed by the current Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena in 2000. She is scheduled to be produced before the Saket court today.
The NBW was issued on April 23 by Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh, after Patkar failed to comply with court directions following her conviction and sentencing. The court has listed the matter for further proceedings on May 3.
In July 2024, Patkar was convicted and sentenced to three months’ imprisonment by a Magistrate’s court. The court had also directed her to pay a Rs 10 lakh compensation to VK Saxena. However, she was granted bail to challenge the order. While the appellate court later upheld her conviction on April 8, 2025, it granted her probation for one year based on good conduct, with the condition of furnishing a probation bond and paying the compensation.
Despite being ordered to appear in court, Patkar failed to comply. The judge noted that she had deliberately avoided appearing before the court and failed to fulfill the conditions of her probation.
“This court is left with no option but to enforce the production of convict Medha Patkar through coercive order,” said Judge Singh, adding that continued non-compliance may lead the court to reconsider and possibly revise her sentence.
An application seeking adjournment was filed on Patkar’s behalf on April 22, citing an ongoing appeal in the High Court. However, the court dismissed the plea, calling it “frivolous and mischievous”, noting there was no stay order from the High Court exempting her from following the sentencing directives.
Patkar had previously appeared via video conferencing but failed to comply with the conditions set forth on April 8. The court had given her until April 23 to appear in person and furnish the required probation bond.
The defamation case stems from comments made by Patkar against VK Saxena in 2000, when he was associated with the National Council for Civil Liberties.
