A Delhi court on Monday sentenced social activist Medha Patkar to five months imprisonment in a 23-year-old criminal defamation case filed by current Delhi L-G V K Saxena. The court also directed Medha Patkar to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to VK Saxena.
Delhi's Saket court suspended the sentence for 30 days to allow Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar to challenge the judgement.
Social activist and Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar was convicted by a Delhi court in May in the defamation case lodged against her by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.
Patkar rose to prominence through the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) in 1985 to highlight issues faced by tribals, labourers, farmers, fishermen, their families and others living near the Narmada valley.
The Patkar vs Saxena feud
Since 2000, Patkar and the Delhi LG have been locked in a legal battle after she she filed a suit against Saxena for publishing advertisements against her and the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).
VK Saxena was then the chief of the Ahmedabad-based NGO National Council for Civil Liberties.
Following Patkar's move against him, Saxena had also filed two cases against her for making derogatory remarks against him on a TV channel and issuing a defamatory press statement.
