Delhi court acquits activist Medha Patkar in 2006 TV programme defamation case

A court here on Saturday acquitted social activist Medha Patkar in a criminal defamation case filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, observing that the prosecution failed to prove that she made the alleged defamatory statements during a television programme in 2006.

The complaint was filed by Saxena, then president of the National Council for Civil Liberties, alleging that Patkar had defamed him during a TV programme.

Judicial Magistrate First Class Raghav Sharma said the complainant failed to produce legally admissible evidence to establish that Patkar made the impugned statements. According to the complaint, Patkar had allegedly claimed during the programme that Saxena and his NGO had received civil contracts connected with the Sardar Sarovar project—an allegation Saxena denied.

The court noted that Patkar was not a panellist on the programme and that only a short pre-recorded video clip of her was aired. It observed that neither the reporter who recorded the clip nor any person who witnessed Patkar making the alleged remarks was examined as a witness.

The court further said that the entire video or audio recording of the alleged statements was not produced before it, making it impossible to determine the context or content of the remarks. It also noted that neither the original electronic device nor a valid secondary copy was placed on record.

The case, originally filed in Ahmedabad, was transferred to Delhi in 2010 on the orders of the Supreme Court.

In the absence of legally admissible evidence proving publication of defamatory statements, the court acquitted Patkar of the charge under Section 500 of the IPC.

In August 2025, however, the Supreme Court in a separate defamation case filed by Saxena upheld Patkar's conviction ordered by a trial court, while setting aside a fine of ₹1 lakh imposed on her.
(With PTI inputs)