Delhi court acquits journalist Priya Ramani in defamation case filed by MJ Akbar

Following a trial that lasted almost two years, a Delhi Court on Wednesday acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case initiated by former Union minister MJ Akbar in relation to the sexual harassment allegations levelled against him during the #MeToo movement of 2018.

The order was pronounced by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey after it was reserved on February 1.

“Right of reputation can't be protected at the cost of right to dignity,” judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey said, as per a report carried by Bar & Bench.

Today, when the parties assembled in court at 2 pm, the judge said, "Please wait outside. There are some corrections in the judgment. It will take half an hour."

When the Court reconvened, Judge Pandey noted in the order, "...society must understand the impact of sexual abuse and harassment on its victims."

It was observed that even though Akbar was a man of reputation, even a man of social status can be a sexual harasser. Further, "Woman has right to put her grievance even after decades," the judge said.

The verdict was initially slated to be pronounced on February 10. However, on that date, the judge deferred the pronouncement till today, stating that he had received the written submissions made by the parties late.

Ramani claimed that in December 1993, MJ Akbar sexually harassed her when she was called to The Oberoi, Mumbai for a job interview.

In October 2018, MJ Akbar had filed a criminal defamation complaint against Ramani after she took to Twitter to level allegations of sexual misconduct against him.

While Ramani pleaded truth, good faith, public interest and public good as her defences in the defamation trial, Akbar denied the meeting at the hotel.

Ramani inter alia contended that given the volume of sexual harassment disclosures by multiple women on social media, there was no evidence of MJ Akbar's "stellar reputation" which was claimed to have been tarnished by her.

MJ Akbar maintained that the allegations made by Ramani "stink of bad faith" and were nothing but malicious and “fabricated non-events”.

It was submitted that in the absence of any complaint to any court or authority, Akbar could not be subjected to a social media trial after nearly three decades, without the exercise of any due care and caution.

He also argued that Ramani had failed to discharge the onus of proving the defence pleaded by her.

Akbar was represented by Senior Advocate Geeta Luthra and Sandeep Kapur.

Ramani was represented by Senior Advocate Rebecca John with Advocate Bhavook Chauhan.