MJ Akbar vs Priya Ramani MeToo case updates: After a Delhi court acquitted Ramani in a criminal defamation complaint by Akbar, her lawyer Rebecca John said it was difficult trial and the case was the most important in her career.
Priya Ramani with her lawyer Rebecca John. ANI
MJ Akbar vs Priya Ramani MeToo case updates: After a Delhi court acquitted Ramani in a criminal defamation complaint by Akbar, her lawyer Rebecca John said it was difficult trial and the case was the most important in her career.
Meanwhile, Twitter was flooded with pictures of Ramani and John.
A number of woman journalists hailed the Delhi court's acquittal of Priya Ramani in a criminal defamation case, saying it is "a big win for all women in India and a huge step forward for gender justice in the workplace."
Women journalists and activists hailed the Delhi court's verdict. The court acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the MJ Akbar defamation case saying that the "right of reputation can't be protected at the cost of right to dignity."
Noting that a woman has the right to put her grievance even after decades, the Delhi court acquitted Priya Ramani in the criminal defamation case. "You are acquitted from the present case", the court told Ramani.
While reading put the order, the court observed that even a man of social status can be a sexual harasser. Sexual abuse takes away dignity and self-confidence, it said and added "Right of reputation can't be protected at the cost of right to dignity".
Reading the order, the court said that there are social stigma attached with the allegations. Society must understand the impact of sexual abuse and harassment on its victims, read the court.
Court continues to read the order and recorded that Ramani's disclosure was in the interest of helping those facing sexual harassment at workplace
The court reassembled and started reading out the judgment. The court noted that the "tweet on on resignation" was untrue and said the content was defamatory.
The court has reassmebled and the verdict is expected shortly.
The court assembled at 2 pm today but the judge asked Ramani and Akbar to wait outside while they made corrections to the judgment. Verdict will take half an hour, the court had said
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 criminal defamation complaint against journalist Priya Ramani for her allegations of sexual harassment against the former journalist.
Order will be pronounced by Judge Ravindra Kumar Pandey in the physical presence of parties, as per reports.
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.
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
