India, April 25 -- Social activist Medha Patkar on Friday withdrew her petition in the Delhi High Court challenging a city court's order that upheld her conviction in a 2001 criminal defamation case filed by Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.

The development came just hours after she was arrested by the Delhi Police, following a non-bailable warrant (NBW) issued by the city court for failing to comply with the conditions required for release on probation.

The case stems from a press release issued by the Narmada Bachao Andolan leader on November 24, 2000, in which she alleged that Saxena, who was the president of non-profit organisation National Council of Civil Liberties at the time, had given a cheque to NBA, which subseque...