Delhi: Medha Patkar released seven hours after arrest in 24-year-old defamation case
New Delhi, Apr 25 (PTI): The Delhi Police released social activist Medha Patkar from its custody seven hours after her arrest on Friday in connection with a 24-year-old defamation case filed by Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, officials said.
Earlier in the day, Patkar was arrested by the Delhi Police, two days after a city court issued a non-bailable warrant against her for not furnishing probation bonds in the case.
She was released at around 4:30 pm after she deposited a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh, which was accepted by the court in the matter of V K Saxena Vs Medha Patkar.
She will now be under the court's watch for a year and if there is any recalcitrant behaviour on her part, she will have to serve the five-month prison sentence.
A police team reached Patkar's residence in southeast Delhi's Nizamuddin area around 9:30 am and took her into custody, an official said.
"We have executed the NBW (non-bailable warrant) and Medha Patkar has been arrested," Deputy Commissioner of Police (South East) Ravi Kumar Singh said.
The arrest came after Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh granted Patkar a one-year probation on April 8, observing that the offence did not merit imprisonment and citing her contributions as the leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and recipient of several awards.
According to the order, Patkar was directed to furnish probation bonds by April 23. However, with no compliance on record, the court issued the NBW against her.
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IMF approves USD 206 million emergency funding for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka's recovery
Colombo (PTI): The IMF has approved an emergency funding of USD 206 million under its rapid finance instrument to help Sri Lanka “address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability”.
The cyclone caused widespread destruction in the island nation and left over 643 people dead.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs.
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The emergency financial support provided by the IMF under the rapid finance instrument will help address these pressures, it said.
The IMF added that the cyclone devastation hit when the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s USD 2.9 billion bailout was nearing completion.
“Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone and examine how an IMF-supported programme can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts while preserving objectives and policy priorities, the Fifth Review has been deferred," it said.
"An IMF mission team will visit Sri Lanka in early 2026 to resume discussions,” it added.
The 48-month extended fund facility deal with the IMF in March 2023 carried hard reforms to Sri Lanka's welfare-based governance.
It was signed after Sri Lanka plunged into an unprecedented economic meltdown with its first-ever sovereign default.
Several hours before the IMF decision, the parliament here approved without a vote a supplementary estimate of LKR 500 billion, which the government said was required to restore the livelihoods of those affected by the disaster.
