The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused a plea by activist Medha Patkar to stay the proceedings for execution of a probation bond linked to a defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena over two decades ago, when he headed a nonprofit in Gujarat.
A sessions court in Delhi on April 2 had upheld her conviction for defamation by a magistrate court in 2024. The sessions court had, however, reduced the punishment from a five-month jail term to a one-year probation, and the fine from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 1 lakh in an order on April 8. Patkar challenged both the orders before the High Court.
Advocate Abhimanue Shrestha, representing Patkar in the HC, told Justice Shalinder Kaur, who was hearing the appeal on Tuesday, “Tomorrow, the trial court has fixed (the date) to pay Rs 1 lakh amount (as fine) and furnish (execute) a probation bond…I’ve moved an application for suspension of that…Would your lordship consider protecting me for two weeks?”
Justice Kaur responded that Patkar could approach the trial court. “You can ask the trial court for that. Please don’t come to the court on the last date,” said the Judge.
Justice Kaur, however, recorded that Patkar may move an appropriate application with her request before the trial court, and the same “shall be considered as per law.”
Patkar has been accused of making defamatory statements in 2000, calling Saxena, who headed an NGO in Gujarat at the time, a “coward” and alleging his involvement in hawala transactions.
Meanwhile, the HC is due to consider her plea challenging her conviction next on May 19.