Delhi court to resume on Sept 8 final arguments on MJ Akbar's defamation case against journalist
Sep 05, 2020
New Delhi [India], September 5 : A Rouse Avenue court in Delhi on Saturday adjourned to September 8 the final arguments on former union minister MJ Akbar's defamation case against journalist Priya Ramani in connection with sexual harassment allegations made against him.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vishal Pahuja adjourned the matter as the arguments remained inconclusive during the hearing today.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, who is representing Ramani, told the court that a true imputation made in public good is not defamation and said that Ramani's alleged defamatory tweets and the Vouge article written by her were her truth and her case is an affirmative defence.
John also read the complaint filed by Akbar, who had called Ramani's allegations as a figment of her imagination and fabricated non-events.
Ramani was summoned in the defamation case filed by Akbar. The defamation charge was framed against her on April 10, 2019, which Ramani pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
"I pleaded not guilty and also pleaded my defence," senior advocate John said adding that her defence was supported by two defence witnesses.
During the arguements, John took the court through the files pertaining to Akbar's cross examination.
Akbar had filed a defamation case against Ramani for accusing him of sexual misconduct.
He had on October 17, 2018, resigned as the union minister after his name cropped up on social media after the #MeToo campaign raged on in the country. Ramani had accused Akbar of sexual misconduct, a charge denied by him.
