Court directs release of Medha Patkar after arrest, subject to furnishing probation bond

New Delhi [India], April 25 : The Saket court on Friday directed the release of Medha Patkar, subject to the furnishing of a probation bond and the deposit of the compensation amount of Rs 1 lakh. She was produced before the court after arrest pursuant to a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued against her.
Duty Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vipin Kharb directed the release of Medha Patkar on furnishing a probation bond and depositing the compensation amount after her counsel submitted before the court that "I, Medha Patkar, was given time until May 3, as per an order passed on April 23."
Advocate Gajinder Kumar, counsel for LG V K Saxena, submitted, "I am not accepting the compensation amount; I will pursue my legal recourse."
After hearing the submissions, the court granted permission for the probation bond and deposit of the compensation amount. Thereafter, the court directed her release subject to the above conditions. The detailed order is to be passed by the court.
On April 23, the Saket court issued a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Medha Patkar through the Commissioner of Delhi Police. The court had issued an NBW for non-compliance with its previous order.
Earlier, she was sentenced and released on probation and was directed to deposit the compensation amount and to furnish a probation bond. In July 2024, she was convicted in a defamation case filed by the incumbent LG, VK Saxena, in 2000. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vishal Singh had issued the NBW against Medha Patkar.
"Issue NBWs against convict Medha Patkar, through the office of the Commissioner of Police, for the next date," ASJ Vishal Singh ordered on April 23.
The court has listed the matter for report on NBW and for further proceedings on May 3, 2025.
While dealing with the matter, the court noted, "Instead of appearing before the court and complying with the order on sentence of April 8, 2025, the convict is absent and has deliberately failed to comply with the order on sentence and to avail the benefit of probation subject to furnishing the compensation amount."
The court took seriously the non-appearance of Medha Patkar and termed it deliberate.
"The intention of convicting Medha Patkar is apparent: she is deliberately violating the court order, avoiding appearing before the court, and also avoiding accepting the terms of the sentence passed against her. There is no order of suspension of sentence passed by this court on April 8, 2025," ASJ Vishal Singh said.
"This court is left with no option but to enforce the production of convict Medha Patkar through coercive order," he added.
The court made it clear that if on the next date the convict fails to comply with the terms of the order on sentence passed on April 8, the court will be constrained to reconsider the benevolent sentence and will have to alter the order on sentence.
An application was moved on her behalf today to seek an adjournment in view of the pendency of an appeal before the High Court. The court dismissed the same.
The court said that the application has no substance, and there is no direction in the order of April 22, 2025, passed by the High Court that convict Medha Patkar is not required to comply with the order on sentence passed on April 8, 2025.
"The application is frivolous and mischievous and is only calculated to hoodwink the court. The present application is therefore dismissed," ASJ Vishal Singh said in the order.
On April 8, the appellate court upheld her conviction. However, the court, after sentencing her, directed her release on the condition of probation for good conduct for one year.
She has appeared through video conferencing. The court had asked her to appear on April 23.
Earlier, in July 2024, she was convicted and sentenced to three months' imprisonment by the Magistrate's court. The court had directed her to pay a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to V K Saxena.
However, she was granted bail by the court to challenge the order. The same order was challenged before the session court.