Updated Feb 17, 2021 · 07:24 pm Journalist Priya Ramani (left) with her lawyer Rebecca John at Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi after the verdict. | Scroll.in/Vijayta Lalwani
A Delhi court on Wednesday acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in the defamation case filed by former Union minister MJ Akbar,
Bar and Bench reported. Ramani had accused Akbar of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement in India in 2018.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey, while reading out the judgement said that a woman has the right to “put her grievance even after decades”, also noting that the Vishakha guidelines were not relevant at the time of the alleged incident.
Updated Feb 17, 2021 | 18:59 IST
Massive win for #MeToo movement, Delhi court acquits journalist Priya Ramani in MJ Akbar s criminal defamation complaint against her. Priya Ramani and MJ Akbar | Photo Credit: IANS
Key Highlights
Court says, can t protect reputation at the cost of dignity
Court observed: Woman has right to put her grievance even after decades
New Delhi: In a big win for the #MeToo movement, The Rouse Avenue District Court in Delhi has acquitted journalist Priya Ramani in MJ Akbar s criminal defamation case against her over the allegations of sexual harassment. The court observed that Ramani has a right to raise voice on any platform and that a woman has a right to put forward her grievance even after decades. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey dismissed the complaint saying that no charges were proved against Priya Ramani.
Updated Feb 17, 2021 · 08:59 pm File photo of Journalist Priya Ramani. | IANS
A woman cannot be punished for raising voice against sexual abuse, a Delhi court noted in its verdict on Wednesday in the MJ Akbar-Priya Ramani defamation case. The court held journalist Ramani not guilty in the defamation case filed by Akbar.
Ramani had accused Akbar of sexual harassment during the #MeToo movement in India in 2018. Following the allegations, Akbar resigned from the Union Council of Ministers and filed a defamation case against her.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar Pandey said that women who have suffered sexual abuse may not speak about it for years, believing that they are at fault for ages. He said that most of the women who do not speak up about sexual abuse for one reason, “the shame” or the social stigma attached with sexual harassment.
#MeToo case: Delhi court defers verdict on MJ Akbar’s defamation suit against Priya Ramani to 17 February The crux of Ramani s arguments in court was that she was not the sole person who had made allegations of sexual harassment against Akbar, but he had selectively targetted her due to her vulnerability FP Staff February 10, 2021 15:43:11 IST File images of MJ Akbar and Priya Ramani. PTI
A Delhi Court on Wednesday deferred to 17 February the pronouncement of verdict in the criminal defamation filed by MJ Akbar against journalist Priya Ramani for her allegations of sexual harassment against him.
The court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ravindra Kumar had concluded the hearing and decided to reserve the verdict on 1 February after Akbar, as well as Ramani, completed their arguments. The Rouse Avenue Court had also allowed both the parties t