Delhi court acquits Medha Patkar in defamation case filed by L-G V.K. Saxena

Observing that the applicant has failed to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt against the accused, a Delhi court on Saturday (January 24, 2026) acquitted Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar in a two-decade-old criminal defamation case lodged against her by Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V.K. Saxena.

Judicial Magistrate of First Class (JMFC) Raghav Sharma of Saket Courts acquitted Ms. Patkar of the offence of defamation.

The case stems from a case filed by Mr. Saxena in 2006, who was then president of the National Council of Civil Liberties (NCCL). In his complaint, Mr. Saxena alleged that Ms. Patkar had made defamatory statements against him during a live television programme.

It was alleged that Mr. Saxena had sent a legal notice to Ms. Patkar and when he received no response on the same, he approached the court.

Acquitting Ms. Patkar, the court observed that neither the reporter who actually recorded the audio-video nor any person who had seen the accused making the impugned statements had been examined as a witness.

“It is also crucial to note that the clip played in the programme/show appears to be only a very short clipping from an interview or press conference of the accused. To make any determination, it is essential that entire video and audio of press conference is brought before the court or some eyewitness to that press conference/interview depose about the same. Without examining the entire clip/footage of that interview, no determination can be made regarding the speech of the accused,” the court said.

Concluding that the defamation allegation against Ms. Patkar remained unproven, the court added that even assuming the footage to be admissible, it did not conclusively prove that she made the impugned statements against the complainant.