Court notice to Medha Patkar on medical certificate

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Metropolitan Magistrate Munish Markan asked Patkar to file her response by March 31 to the plea of complainant V.K. Saxena, president of National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL), who has sought her prosecution under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

Patkar, who was present in the court Monday, did not appear on March 3, 2009, the last date of hearing and had sought exemption from personal appearance on the ground that she was ill.

Patkar had furnished a medical certificate issued by Medicare Hospital in Maharashtra.

Saxena, in his application, has questioned the veracity of the medical report, claiming that on the day of her court hearing, she was busy staging a 'dharna' at the collector's office at Nandurbar in Maharashtra.

Two cases, one filed by Patkar and another by Saxena against each other, are pending in the court.

Patkar had filed a criminal defamation case here against Saxena in 2000 for allegedly publishing advertisements against her and the activities of NBA.

Saxena had also filed a criminal defamation case against Patkar in Ahmedabad in 2001 for accusing him of making payments through cheques to an NGO in Malegaon in Maharashtra.