NEW DELHI: Social activist Medha Patkar on Friday withdrew her petition before the Delhi High Court challenging her conviction for criminal defamation of Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.Patkar had approached the High Court seeking to contest the findings of the trial court and the sessions court, both of which had held her guilty of defamation. However, during the brief proceedings, her counsel sought permission to withdraw the plea, stating an intention to file a fresh petition.Granting the request, Justice Shalinder Kaur allowed the withdrawal with liberty to approach the court afresh.“This is an application seeking withdrawal. Counsel for the petitioner seeks to withdraw with liberty to file afresh. The petition is dismissed as withdrawn with liberty as prayed,” the court recorded in its order.Earlier in the day, Delhi Police arrested Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Patkar after a non-bailable warrant was issued against her by a local court in connection with a 23-year-old defamation case filed by Saxena.The case, dating back to 2000, arose from a press release Patkar issued on November 24, 2000, when Saxena led the National Council of Civil Liberties.In it, she reportedly labelled him a “coward”, accused him of being involved in hawala transactions, and alleged that he was “mortgaging” the people and resources of Gujarat to foreign interests. A magisterial court last year ruled that these statements were defamatory and intended to provoke negative public sentiment.
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