New Delhi:

 Social activist Medha Patkar was on Friday arrested by Delhi Police. The arrest came after a court in the national capital issued non-bailable warrants against her in a defamation case, filed by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.

Patkar flouted orders deliberately: Court

The bench also took strong exception to Patkar’s absence from hearing. It noted that instead of complying with its order dated April 8, the convict is absent and has deliberately failed to comply with the order on sentence and to avail of the benefit of probation subject to furnishing of the compensation amount. The court further said that the intention of the convict is apparent and that she has been deliberately violating the court order.

The court said that Patkar was avoiding appearing in court and also avoiding accepting the terms of the sentence passed against her. Since there is no order of suspension of the April 8 sentence, there is no other option left but to issue “her production through a coercive order.”

The Saket court while issuing orders for her arrest noted that she “deliberately” flouted its order to submit probation bonds and pay Rs 1 lakh fine in the defamation case. The court also described her plea for adjournment as “frivolous and mischievous” and said that it was filed to “hoodwink” the court. In a stern warning to Patkar, the court said that it “could reconsider the benevolent sentence”.

The court issued the non-bailable warrant and fixed the next date of hearing as May 3. Patkar managed to avoid a 5 month prison sentence after the court released her on “probation of good conduct” in the defamation case.

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