MJ Akbar vs Priya Ramani defamation hearing: After a trial of almost two years, a Delhi court is expected to pronounce its verdict today (Wednesday) at 2 pm in former Union Minister MJ Akbar’s defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani for her allegations of sexual harassment against the former journalist. The judgment is likely to be delivered at 2 pm.
File images of MJ Akbar and Priya Ramani. PTI
After a trial of almost two years, a Delhi court is expected to pronounce its verdict today (Wednesday) at 2 pm in former Union Minister MJ Akbar’s defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani for her allegations of sexual harassment against the former journalist. The judgment is likely to be delivered at 2 pm.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar had on 1 February reserved the judgment for 10 February after Akbar and Ramani completed their arguments. However, on 10 February, the court deferred the judgment for 17 February, saying the verdict was not complete since both the parties filed their written submission late.
Ramani had made allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar in the wake of #MeToo movement in 2018. Over 20 women came up with accounts of the alleged sexual harassment by Akbar while they were working as journalists under him.
Akbar had filed the complaint against Ramani on October 15, 2018 for allegedly defaming him by accusing him of sexual misconduct decades ago. He resigned as Union minister on October 17, 2018.
Akbar had earlier told the court that Ramani had defamed him by calling him with adjectives such as ‘media’s biggest predator’ that harmed his reputation.
He has denied all the allegations of sexual harassment against the women who came forward during #MeToo campaign against him and termed the allegations false, fabricated and deeply distressing and said he was taking appropriate legal action against them.
Ramani has said that her allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar were “her truth” and were made in public good. Advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Ramani, had said that Akbar should not get any relief as he chose to target Ramani to target other women.
With inputs from PTI
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