Defamation Case: Medha Patkar sentenced to 5-month jail

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday sentenced renowned social activist Medha Patkar to five months of imprisonment in a 23-year-old defamation case filed by the then president of the non-profit organisation, National Council of Civil Liberties, VK Saxena, who is currently serving as the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi.

Both Medha Patkar and VK Saxena have been locked in a legal battle since 2000. Metropolitan Magistrate Raghav Sharm found Patkar guilty of defamation and directed her to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation to Saxena for the damage caused to his reputation. The court, however, suspended her sentence to allow her to appeal against the order.